Delhi's air quality nosedives towards 'very poor' category

October 16, 2018 18:19

Delhi's air quality nosedived towards very poor category on Tuesday even as authorities put several key measures in place to combat air pollution.

The overall Air Quality Index of Delhi was recorded at 293, just eight points below the "very poor" category, according to the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting And Research.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor" and that between 401 and 500 is categorised as "severe".

A senior Central Pollution Control Board official said several factors like vehicular pollution, construction activities and meteorological factors like wind speed were responsible for continuing pollution in the city despite measures being taken up.

Several measures are in force in the Delhi-National Capital Region like mechanised sweeping of roads, ban on garbage burning, pollution control measures at brick kilns and deployment of police to ensure smooth passage of traffic at vulnerable areas.

The use of gensets have also been banned in the city but they are being allowed to operate in parts of the NCR due to power issues.

"The Graded Response Action Plan has been rolled out in the city but its ground level implementation is still going on," the official said.

The GRAP, notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2012, prescribes a set of measures to curb air pollution based on the Central Pollution Control Board's daily Air Quality Index.

-- PTI

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