Delhi Air Pollution News Highlights | Government gears up to fight pollution

611 teams were deployed to prevent open burning, 385 teams to check pollution from vehicles, and 210 teams to enforce restrictions on fireworks, Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said.

The rising AQI in Delhi has been attributed to stubble burning in nearby Punjab. However, farmers are pointing their fingers back at the government for not providing an alternative.

A farmer Gurnaib Singh said, “Burning stubble is not my hobby, but I am helpless. The government should find a solution to this. We do not want to burn stubble but we are helpless. The government has not been successful in tackling the issue of stubble burning. Our children and family also stay here, and they are at risk too but we cannot do anything, we are helpless.”

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a request for the district-level establishment of a permanent expert group for the assessment of air pollution.

“Do you think pollution is going to end if we have committees all over districts across the country,” the bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said. Read More

#WATCH | Nishant Kumar Yadav, District Deputy Commissioner says, “The AQI in Gurugram continues to be above 350 for the last 2-3 days and in ‘very poor’ category. Small children and senior citizens are facing more problems so we have decided to stop offline classes for grades… pic.twitter.com/ieKCmK2JO7

— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2023

“The AQI in Gurugram continues to be above 350 for the last 2-3 days and in ‘very poor’ category. Small children and senior citizens are facing more problems so we have decided to stop offline classes for grades till 5. We have ordered online classes for them. This is applicable to both private and govt schools. This will continue till further orders,” Nishant Kumar Yadav, District Deputy Commissioner.

611 teams were deployed to prevent open burning, 385 teams to check pollution from vehicles, and 210 teams to enforce restrictions on fireworks, Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said.

A call on work-for-home orders for 50% of staff in government and private offices in Delhi will be taken later, Gopal Rai said.

The Delhi Police has advised its personnel on field duty to wear a mask amid a severe air pollution crisis in the national capital. Details.

Unfavourable meteorological conditions combined with vehicular emissions, paddy straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollution sources contribute to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during the winter every year. According to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the capital experienced peak pollution from November 1 to November 15 when the number of stubble-burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increased.

According to the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), a total of 4,160 farm fires were reported from north India on Sunday — the highest so far this season. Punjab alone reported 3,230 incidents of stubble burning, the state’s highest in a day so far this season, according to Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data.

Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, has blamed inaction by the AAP-led governments in Punjab and Delhi for the deteriorating air quality in North India.

Claiming that the BJP-led state government in Haryana has successfully reduced instances of crop stubble burning, he questioned Arvind Kejriwal and the Punjab government on the action taken to curb similar instances in Punjab.

#WATCH | Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai says,”…The ban that was imposed on BS-III petrol vehicles and BS-IV diesel vehicles will be continued in GRAP-4… Except for LNG, CNG and electric trucks of the essential commodities and essential service vehicles, other trucks… pic.twitter.com/DfDsZNWx9D

— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2023

“The ban that was imposed on BS-III petrol vehicles and BS-IV diesel vehicles will be continued in GRAP-4, except for LNG, CNG and electric trucks of the essential commodities and essential service vehicles, other trucks are banned entry into Delhi. In GRAP-3, demolition work at Flyovers, overbridges and power transmission pipelines was given an exemption. Now they are also banned,” says Gopal Rai.

Over the last couple of days, the air quality index has been in the “severe” category having crossed 500. This means it is a “medical emergency,” Dr Suresh Kumar from LNJP Hospital said.

People are complaining of breathlessness, sore throat, wheezing, cough, irritation in the eyes and restlessness, the doctor noted. He recommended the use of masks to avoid pollutants.

“At LNJP, we are receiving daily 25-30 patients coming to the emergency department. We have to avoid these pollutants by just taking care of ourselves. We must wear the mask,” Kumar said.

The Delhi Police has advised its personnel on field duty to wear a mask as the air quality deteriorated to severe marks, PTI reported.

The personnel who are on the field managing traffic or the city’s law and order have been “suggested” to wear a mask, a senior officer said.