Several areas of Delhi woke up to smog on Saturday morning, and air quality dropped to ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ within days. It said that the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has touched the 300-plus mark in several areas, sparking more concerns among residents and officials as the government fails to reduce air pollution reaching high levels before the onset of the winter season.
Over the weekend, the concentration of pollutants reached 334 by Saturday morning, which the WHO considers as “very poor” in Anand Vihar, Akshardham, and neighbouring localities. Furthermore, heavy smog was also found to be hazy in more than one place in the national capital. The AQI readings measured 251 near India Gate, 209 near Nehru Park, 226 near ITO, 273 near Bhikaji Cama Place, and 253 near AIIMS, all of which still fall in the ‘poor’ category as per CPCB.
To reduce the deteriorating air quality, the first phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions began in Delhi on October 15. Several measures have already been implemented, including, for example, removing water from roads to reduce dust. The AQI reached the highest number of 292 on Friday, October 18; the highest level was identified in the Wazirpur region, though it was 390. Dust pollution in Delhi and the wider National Capital Region has played a part in this decline, and the problem has become worse with the arrival of easterly winds. Projections for the Early Warning System (EWS) show that the stubble-burning pollution from Punjab & Haryana will worsen over the weekend.
People have complained of poor air quality in their neighbourhoods, which has effects that include breathing difficulties, cough, and other ailments. Akshardham resident Ashish Kumar Meena voiced his opinion to the news agency that pollution has reached a great extent.
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