News Analysis India

Tag: Delhi air quality

  • NHRC summons chief secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh over air pollution

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Alarmed over the rise in pollution in Delhi-NCR, the NHRC has asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to appear before it on November 10 to discuss the matter, an official statement said on Friday.

    The National Human Rights Commission said it is “not satisfied” with the actions taken so far to address the issue and that “much more” needs to be done to reduce pollution in Delhi.

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 426 (severe) at 9:30 am on Friday, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

    An AQI above 400 is considered ‘severe’ and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.

    The NHRC asked the chief secretaries to inform it within a week about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop stubble burning.

    “Their reports must also inform about the effect of smog towers and anti-smog guns. It should also have information on how many anti-smog guns are operational and what further steps the Delhi and other governments are taking in the near future. The report of Punjab and Haryana must also specifically inform about the effect of the scheme of in-situ management of crop residue,” the NHRC statement said.

    The commission said its directions follow a report and material on record received from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in response to a notice issued by it on June 22.

    It said it had issued the notice after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports alleging that air pollution is a great threat to human health in India and might reduce life expectancy for the people of Delhi.

    “The commission has noted the measures taken so far but observed that these are not enough to reduce the pollution level in Delhi-NCR. It is of the considered view that much more needs to be done to reduce the pollution level immediately,” the statement said.

    Despite several directions from time to time, “nothing much has improved”.

    One of the major causes of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region is stubble burning in the states surrounding it, it said.

    The NHRC further stated that “notwithstanding several directions of the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal and other authorities, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has not seen required improvement for a human-friendly environment, which cannot be allowed to remain so perpetually”.

    As many as 31 out of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded ‘severe’ AQI, the CPCB data at 9:10 am showed.

    Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 450 at 4 pm on Thursday, just a notch short of the ‘severe plus’ category.

    NEW DELHI: Alarmed over the rise in pollution in Delhi-NCR, the NHRC has asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to appear before it on November 10 to discuss the matter, an official statement said on Friday.

    The National Human Rights Commission said it is “not satisfied” with the actions taken so far to address the issue and that “much more” needs to be done to reduce pollution in Delhi.

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 426 (severe) at 9:30 am on Friday, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

    An AQI above 400 is considered ‘severe’ and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.

    The NHRC asked the chief secretaries to inform it within a week about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop stubble burning.

    “Their reports must also inform about the effect of smog towers and anti-smog guns. It should also have information on how many anti-smog guns are operational and what further steps the Delhi and other governments are taking in the near future. The report of Punjab and Haryana must also specifically inform about the effect of the scheme of in-situ management of crop residue,” the NHRC statement said.

    The commission said its directions follow a report and material on record received from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in response to a notice issued by it on June 22.

    It said it had issued the notice after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports alleging that air pollution is a great threat to human health in India and might reduce life expectancy for the people of Delhi.

    “The commission has noted the measures taken so far but observed that these are not enough to reduce the pollution level in Delhi-NCR. It is of the considered view that much more needs to be done to reduce the pollution level immediately,” the statement said.

    Despite several directions from time to time, “nothing much has improved”.

    One of the major causes of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region is stubble burning in the states surrounding it, it said.

    The NHRC further stated that “notwithstanding several directions of the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal and other authorities, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has not seen required improvement for a human-friendly environment, which cannot be allowed to remain so perpetually”.

    As many as 31 out of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded ‘severe’ AQI, the CPCB data at 9:10 am showed.

    Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 450 at 4 pm on Thursday, just a notch short of the ‘severe plus’ category.

  • Delhi chokes as firecrackers burst in many parts, despite ban

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Firecrackers were burst by people in many parts of Delhi on Diwali night, flouting the ban imposed on it by the city government.

    Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai last week had said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the national capital will attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

    Despite legal deterrent in place to discourage people from doing so, by dusk, residents in many neighborhoods, including some areas in south Delhi and northwest Delhi, had started bursting crackers.

    Even high-intensity firecrackers could be heard going off on ground, or mid-air. Diwali is being celebrated across the country on Monday.

    Bursting of firecrackers on this auspicious day is an old tradition, but authorities in the city had said the decision to restrict it was taken after considering environmental concerns and health hazards associated with it.

    Delhi’s air quality turned “very poor” on Monday amid an increase in stubble burning, bursting of firecrackers and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions which allowed accumulation of pollutants.

    However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for the Diwali day in seven years.

    Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018. Experts fear that if volume of firecrackers burst goes up again this year, the air quality is likely to dip further.

    In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to “severe” levels on the night of Diwali itself and continue to remain in the “red” zone for another day, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier predicted.

    However, despite the ban in place, people burst firecrackers with impunity in various areas of the city, staring around 6 pm.

    In south Delhi’s East of Kailash area, and neighbouring places like Nehru Place, Moolchand, noise of firecrackers going off in mid-air could be heard in the evening, while some residents burst it in their neighborhood streets, as they do it every year.

    In Burari too, many residents were enjoying bursting firecrackers despite wide dissemination of the information about the ban through media and other means.

    “They are educated but still doing this, what will children learn from it,” said a resident of a colony in Burari, on the condition of anonymity.

    In Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara areas in east Delhi, the situation was similar. However, the intensity was lower compared to the situation last year, some residents said. Loud thuds of crackers were also reported in southwest Delhi’s Munirka area.

    Environment Minister Rai had earlier also said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the city will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

    A total of 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

    In neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Faridabad too, many people burst firecrackers.

    The air quality in Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) was reported ‘poor to very poor’ on Monday.

    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”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

    NEW DELHI: Firecrackers were burst by people in many parts of Delhi on Diwali night, flouting the ban imposed on it by the city government.

    Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai last week had said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the national capital will attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

    Despite legal deterrent in place to discourage people from doing so, by dusk, residents in many neighborhoods, including some areas in south Delhi and northwest Delhi, had started bursting crackers.

    Even high-intensity firecrackers could be heard going off on ground, or mid-air. Diwali is being celebrated across the country on Monday.

    Bursting of firecrackers on this auspicious day is an old tradition, but authorities in the city had said the decision to restrict it was taken after considering environmental concerns and health hazards associated with it.

    Delhi’s air quality turned “very poor” on Monday amid an increase in stubble burning, bursting of firecrackers and moderately unfavourable meteorological conditions which allowed accumulation of pollutants.

    However, the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 312 was still the second best for the Diwali day in seven years.

    Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018. Experts fear that if volume of firecrackers burst goes up again this year, the air quality is likely to dip further.

    In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to “severe” levels on the night of Diwali itself and continue to remain in the “red” zone for another day, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier predicted.

    However, despite the ban in place, people burst firecrackers with impunity in various areas of the city, staring around 6 pm.

    In south Delhi’s East of Kailash area, and neighbouring places like Nehru Place, Moolchand, noise of firecrackers going off in mid-air could be heard in the evening, while some residents burst it in their neighborhood streets, as they do it every year.

    In Burari too, many residents were enjoying bursting firecrackers despite wide dissemination of the information about the ban through media and other means.

    “They are educated but still doing this, what will children learn from it,” said a resident of a colony in Burari, on the condition of anonymity.

    In Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara areas in east Delhi, the situation was similar. However, the intensity was lower compared to the situation last year, some residents said. Loud thuds of crackers were also reported in southwest Delhi’s Munirka area.

    Environment Minister Rai had earlier also said production, storage and sale of firecrackers in the city will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

    A total of 408 teams have been set up to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

    In neighbouring cities of Gurugram and Faridabad too, many people burst firecrackers.

    The air quality in Ghaziabad (301), Noida (303), Greater Noida (270), Gurugram (325) and Faridabad (256) was reported ‘poor to very poor’ on Monday.

    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”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

  • ‘Imagine the signal we are sending to world’: Supreme Court on air pollution in Delhi-NCR

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested the Centre and Commission for Air Quality Management to rely upon a statistical-based model on wind patterns to take advance measures to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR before the situation deteriorates.

    A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices DY Chandrachud, and Surya Kant told the Centre, “When the weather becomes severe then we take measures. These measures have to be taken in anticipation to stop pollution and this anticipation has to be based on a statistical model. This is the National Capital; imagine the signal we are sending to the world. You can stop these activities in the anticipation itself.”

    ​ALSO READ | Group of parents write to Delhi LG seeking reopening of schools closed due to pollution

    The Supreme Court said it will not close the air pollution case and give final orders. The Supreme Court said due to the seriousness of the issue it will continue to hear this matter and posted the case for the next hearing on November 29.

    The Apex Court also asked them to continue the measures for controlling air pollution for the next two to three days. In the meantime, if the pollution level becomes 100, then some restrictions can be lifted.

    They also asked Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh Governments about any study to show how much stubble has been removed from these States and what emission control methods have been adopted.

    The court was hearing a plea relating to control rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR.Meanwhile, the air quality significantly improved from the “very poor” to the “poor” category on Wednesday for the first time in the last 10 days, as per the System of Air Quality & Weather Forecasting & Research (SAFAR).

    ​ALSO READ | Air pollution: Delhi lifts ban on construction; call on school reopening on November 24

    The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 280 today.

    Several areas in the national capital including ITO, Lodhi Road, and Mathura Road recorded air quality in “very poor” air with an AQI of 333, 303, and 346 while the AQI at Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri were in the “severe” category with an AQI 422 and 436 respectively.

    As per the SAFAR, the PM 10 levels were recorded at 58 in the ‘satisfactory’ category and PM 2.5 levels were recorded at 38 in the ‘satisfactory’ category. 

  • Delhi’s air quality slips to ‘very poor’, firefighting continues at Bhalswa landfill

    Delhi’s air quality Thursday remained very poor even as the blaze at the Bhalswa landfill site continued to smoulder.

    The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 331 at 1pm.

    An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

    The air quality in the capital had shown signs of improvement Monday as it moved from “very poor” to “poor” category.

    A Delhi Fire Service official said on Thursday that a fire tender was stationed at the landfill site as the fire is still smouldering.

    Fire has been raging at the massive dump site since October 20. However, by Tuesday evening, the flames were somewhat brought under control and parts of the landfill smouldered, DFS officials had said.

    On Sunday, the AQI had oscillated between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories.

    On Saturday, a haze had engulfed the national capital and the worst air quality of this season was recorded at 324.