Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'severe plus' category on Monday with the city recording an AQI of 484. Tighter pollution control measures, including a ban on truck entry and suspension of construction at public projects, came into force in the morning. The dense toxic smog caused visibility to drop sharply in the morning.
According to officials, visibility at Safdarjung airport was 150 meters. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 484, the worst this season, at 8 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The AQI was 441 at 4 pm on Sunday and rose to 457 by 7 pm due to unfavorable weather conditions. With the AQI crossing 450, the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas ordered the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR.
According to the order, no trucks will be allowed into Delhi except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric). Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will also be prohibited, except for EVs and CNG and BS-VI diesel ones. Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles are banned, except for those in essential services, the order said.
All construction activities, including highways, roads, flyovers, power lines, pipelines and other public projects, have been suspended. The CAQM recommended that offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) work at 50 percent capacity, with the rest working from home.
The Delhi government has directed all schools to suspend physical classes for students of all grades, except for those in classes 10 and 12, starting Monday. This decision comes in response to the rising air pollution levels in the city.
An Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 400 or higher is classified as ‘severe’ and can adversely impact both healthy individuals and those with existing medical conditions. The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), first implemented in 2017, is a framework for tackling air pollution in Delhi and nearby areas based on its severity. GRAP divides air quality into four stages: Stage 1, ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage 2, ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage 3, ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage 4, ‘severe plus’ (AQI above 450).
Delhi also recorded a minimum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius, which is 3.9 degrees above the normal average for this time of year. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 27 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The weather department has also forecast very dense fog during the day.
(This story has been slightly reworked from an auto-generated PTI feed.)
