Delhi air pollution: The air quality across the national capital continued to hover in the 'severe' category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed 400 mark in several parts of the city, as per the latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.
AQI in various parts of Delhi:
- Anand Vihar: 418
- RK Puram: 424
- Alipur: 434
- Ashok Vihar: 427
- Bawana: 456
- Dwarka Sector 8: 399
- IGI T3: 391
- ITO: 356
- Jahangirpuri: 445
- JLN stadium: 385
- Lodhi Road: 356
- Narela: 422
- Najafgarh: 385
- New Moti Bagh: 399
- Okhla Phase-2: 415
- Patparganj: 416
- Punjabi Bagh: 433
- Rohini: 438
- Shadipur: 366
- Vivek Vihar: 444
- Wazirpur: 448
AQI in Noida:
- Sector 125: 353
- Sector 62: 367
- Sector 1: 341
- Sector 116: 319
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe and above 450 severe plus.
Delhi's AQI expected to improve
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that, according to experts, the air quality in the city is anticipated to improve in the next two to three days. He further said that the state government has decided to continue with GRAP III regulations.
The minister said the Air Quality Index (AQI) is expected to improve in the coming days but the ban on certain vehicles will continue under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III regulations. "Under GRAP III, BS 3 petrol and BS 4 diesel vehicles are still banned," Gopal Rai told news agency PTI.
"Scientists are saying that the air quality will improve in the coming 2-3 days. As per the present conditions, it was decided that GRAP III regulations will continue in Delhi for now," he said.
He further said that if Delhi air quality deteriorates in future and GRAP IV is invoked again, such vehicles will be banned from entering the national capital, he said.
Meanwhile, the state government may consider implementing stricter measures to address air pollution in the city if there is a disregard for the existing rules, stated Rai, urging residents to adhere to the regulations.
The Centre on Saturday revoked GRAP IV which imposes a ban on construction work related to linear public projects in Delhi-NCR and the entry of polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers into the national capital. The decision was taken following an improvement in the air quality in the region due to favourable wind speed and direction.
Stage IV is the final stage of GRAP, which is activated at least three days before the AQI surpasses the 450 mark in the capital.
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