Delhi's Air Quality Dips To 'Poor' Category, Anti-Pollution Drive To Begin Today

New Delhi: he air quality in the national capital was in the ‘poor’ category on Thursday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 256, according to SAFAR-India. To combat pollution, an anti-smog gun sprayed water in the Anand Vihar area, where the air quality was also in the ‘poor’ category, as per the data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

As per the latest data from SAFAR, the air quality near Delhi University was in the ‘very poor’ category at 316 in the morning hours today. Noida had an AQI of 269 (poor) and Gurugram 176 (moderate). Meanwhile, an anti-pollution drive is also set to start today to reduce pollution in the national capital.

A city resident, Bhagwati Prasad, told ANI that the situation was very bad and there seemed to be no solution as it happened every year. “The pollution situation is very bad. I have been coughing and feeling a burning sensation in my throat for the last few days. There seems to be no solution, as it happens every year. There is a lot of traffic,” Bhagwati Prasad said.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the air quality in Delhi was in the ‘moderate’ category, with the AQI at 190, as per SAFAR-India. With this slight improvement in the air quality on Wednesday, Environment Minister Gopal Rai asked the states in the National Capital Area to ban firecrackers before the upcoming Diwali, considering the steps taken in the city to deal with pollution.

The minister said that there was less use of firecrackers during Dussehra, which was celebrated on Tuesday, and if the same continued for Diwali, then it would have a positive effect on pollution levels in Delhi.

“I think that firecrackers were used at fewer places this time (during Dussehra). I would like to request again that the states in Delhi-NCR ban firecrackers because they are easily accessible to people in their states. I think if NCR states ban them too, this will have a positive effect on Delhi,” Gopal Rai said.

On the improvement, the Environment Minister said, “Two days ago, the AQI level in Delhi was above 300. The AQI level has dropped and it has come below 300. I think that this will keep changing. It is expected that after October 30, this will probably go up again.” Talking about stubble burning, Gopal Rai said, “Stubble burning is happening but the number of such cases is low right now. But it is expected that these cases will increase around October 30. We have to see what kind of impact the measures taken in Punjab have.”

As stubble burning continues in parts of Punjab and Haryana, air quality in the national capital has deteriorated in the past few days. According to data, more than 2,500 cases of stubble burning have been reported this year so far. However, farm fire numbers are better than those of the previous two years. The second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was implemented in Delhi to reduce the impact of increased pollution.

The Air Quality Index is a tool for effectively communicating the air quality status to people in easy-to-understand terms. There are six AQI categories: Good + Satisfactory, Moderately Polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. These categories are based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health effects (known as health breakpoints).

According to the AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 450 “severe”.