Delhi air quality: The national capital's air quality improved from the ‘Severe’ category to 'Very Poor' after light rains lashed the city and nearby regions in the early hours of Friday (November 10), as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India) data, AQI in Ashok Vihar was recorded at 462, RK Puram at 461, Punjabi Bagh at 460 and in ITO at 464. Gurugram also witnessed ‘Severe’ category air quality with AQI at 416 while Faridabad and Noida recorded 457 (severe) and 375 (very poor), respectively.
The overall AQI in the city at 10 am was recorded at 398.
Indira Gandhi International Airport and Lodhi Road recorded a minor improvement in the AQI at 391 and 398 respectively. The development came as the region witnessed a slight change in weather overnight when rains lashed the National Capital Region.
Delhi Ministers hit the ground for inspection
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inspected the vehicles and trucks entering Delhi at Singhu border on Thursday night.
“After seeing the level of pollution in the national capital, the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items has been banned. Only entry of CNG and electric trucks has been allowed. Teams have been deployed on all the borders for this... Tomorrow I will again write a letter to the Haryana and UP government regarding the entry of the trucks,” Rai said.
A truck forcefully entered the national capital from the Gurugram border where Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj was inspecting trucks and vehicles.
The Minister said that there is negligence in the implementation of restrictions on the ground and there is a need to follow the rules strictly.
“We are receiving complaints that GRAP-4 rules are not being followed strictly. The implementation of GRAP-4 means trucks with essential items can only enter Delhi. Today we have come here to Gurugram and we are witnessing the negligence in the implementation of rules... To decrease air pollution in Delhi these rules need to be followed strictly...." he said.
"Drivers did not know some trucks banned in Delhi"
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot also inspected trucks and vehicles entering through Gurugram Border and said that the drivers did not know about the imposition of ban on the entry of trucks in the national capital except for emergency services.
“The drivers are saying that they are from Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Government is not making them aware that because of high pollution in Delhi, only trucks with essential services are allowed to enter... All the states of the NCR have to run an awareness campaign about it... The drivers are saying that they did not know that some trucks are banned in Delhi,” he said.
AAP Minister was at the Ghazipur border where she said that severe trucks are entering the city illegally and added that the government will urge the Supreme Court regarding ‘artificial rain’.
“Today after inspecting here (Ghazipur border ) we have come to know that systems need to be strengthened on the borders because there are several trucks which are not allowed to enter into national capital, but are entering illegally. All the ministers of the Delhi government are inspecting different borders today, to ensure that there is no illegal entry of trucks into the capital... These inspections will continue... We are going to request the Supreme Court to direct all the central agencies to cooperate with the Delhi government regarding 'artificial rain' in the city. By November 20 this can be done,” she said.
Currently, Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in the national capital after the city's air quality plummeted to the 'severe plus' category.
(With ANI inputs)
