People continued to breathe in polluted air across Delhi, as the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday pegged under the ‘very poor’ quality, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Delhi’s average AQI level on Saturday was recorded at 346 points, while none of the areas in the city clocked pollution levels above 400 points, or in the ‘severe’ zone.
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The worst affected areas in the national capital due to the pollutants included Jahangirpuri with an index of 398 at 4 pm, Burari crossing- 397, Nehru Nagar- 390, Mundka 383 and Anand Vihar- 379.
Prominent pollutants present in the city’s air on Saturday included both PM 2.5 particulate matter.
The observations put up by the pollution monitoring agency were based on readings from across 38 air monitoring stations across the national capital.
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Delhi’s air quality is likely to be in “Very Poor” category from December 1 to December 3.
As per the weather agency’s outlook for subsequent six days: the AQI is likely to remain in the very poor zone.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR (CAQM) is continuing with the bans and measures under its anti- pollution Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Meanwhile, the CAQM, considering practical difficulties being faced or likely to be faced by the persons with disabilities in their daily commuting, has considered plying of restricted vehicles such as BS- III petrol and BS- IV, as an exemption only for the specially abled persons and have asked the Enforcement agencies in Delhi-NCR to permit plying of all such adopted vehicles that are personally used by the people with disabilities.
The restrictions under the anti pollution plan otherwise remain in force across the city, with various measures such as water sprinkling with machines, anti- smog guns, mechanical sweeping of roads, curbs on biomass burning and ensuring alternative solutions regarding the same.
Enforcement agencies are on their toes with regard to keeping a check on vehicles with invalid pollution under control certificates, while they are being prosecuted without lapses.
