The Air Quality Index (AQI) was in the 'Very Poor' category in several parts of Delhi on Monday morning. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) advised the general public to avoid outdoor physical activities and for vulnerable populations to remain indoors and keep activity levels low.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) AQI-level in Delhi are:
- Pusa: 319 AQI · Very Poor
- Shadipur: 303 AQI · Very Poor
- Shivaji Park · 358 AQI · Very Poor
- Delhi Milk Scheme Colony · 324 AQI · Very Poor
- Bhim Nagar · 366 AQI · Very Poor
- Central Delhi · 341 AQI · Very Poor
- Shalimar Bagh · 361 AQI · Very Poor
After a two-day gap, Delhi's air quality turned 'very poor' as calm winds prevented the dispersion of pollutants. Some areas in the national capital recorded 'severe' pollution levels. At 4 pm, Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 355 against 255 on Saturday, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
The CPCB shared data from 37 of the city's 40 monitoring stations. It showed that three stations -- Bawana, Burari and Jahangirpuri -- recorded 'severe' air quality. The air quality was also 'very poor' in neighbouring areas such as Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Noida and 'poor' in Faridabad and Gurugram.
AAP vs BJP over Delhi pollution
Meanwhile, the BJP and AAP traded barbs over pollution levels in Delhi on Sunday as the national capital's air quality once again slipped into the 'very poor' category. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta hit out at the AAP government, alleging that it had "utterly failed" to control the city's rising pollution.
The people of Delhi are forced to breathe suffocating air while AAP is preoccupied with "hollow promises and low-level politics", Gupta charged. In response, AAP said in a statement that if Gupta and his party truly cared for Delhi, they should stop their "theatrics" and work with state governments run by the BJP to address the pollution problem in the national capital.
Meanwhile, AAP said it was "well established" that the situation at Anand Vihar was worsening because of pollution caused by diesel buses at the Kaushambi depot in Uttar Pradesh.
Cases of stubble burning are rising each day in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, it alleged. AAP also responded to Gupta's allegations that former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal "misused" crores of rupees from the Delhi government's treasury by repeatedly making false promises to clean the Yamuna.
AAP hit back at the charge, saying Yamuna pollution was rising because of the high volume of industrial wastewater being released into the river by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
