New Delhi: It’s that time of the year, and there seems to be no change in India’s Capital city.
As air pollution levels surged on Sunday and inched closer to the ‘very poor’, the Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality authorities were forced to invoke GRAP 2 (Graded Response Action Plan) measures across the National Capital Region a day ahead of Diwali.
Measures under GRAP 2 include curbs on construction activity, regulation of industrial emissions, and stricter enforcement of pollution control norms to reduce particulate matter ahead of the festive season.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi-NCR recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 296 at 4 pm, placing it in the ‘poor’ range. Once AQI crosses 300, it will be classified as ‘very poor.’
Out of 38 monitoring stations in the national Capital, 12 reported readings in the ‘very poor’ range. Anand Vihar recorded AQI at 430, followed by Wazirpur (364), Vivek Vihar (351), Dwarka (335) and RK Puram (323).
