Delhi air quality further deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category on Sunday morning, registering an overall AQI (Air Quality Index) of 377 at 7am, while numerous locations across the national capital recorded AQI levels plunging into the severe and hazardous categories. On Saturday, Delhi had recorded an overall AQI of 303, which was a significant worsening compared to 218 a day earlier.
According to the data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI readings at stations such as Ashok Vihar, Burari Crossing, Chandni Chowk, Jahangirpuri, and Wazirpur surpassed the 400 AQI mark, thereby falling into the ‘severe’ category.
On Saturday, out of 38 monitoring stations in the national capital, 26 recorded air quality in the 'very poor' category, while the remaining stations fell in the 'poor' category. Area-wise AQI readings showed that the AQI at the AIIMS and surrounding areas was recorded at 421, while AQI in Ashok Vihar stood at 404, 414 in Chandni Chowk, 402 in Jahangirpuri, and 432 in Wazirpur.
As the air quality after Diwali continues to worsen in Delhi, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa inspected pollution control measures and the air quality monitoring system in Anand Vihar on Saturday.
During the visit, the Minister announced that there are 13 pollution hotspots in the city, all of which are receiving increased attention. He also mentioned that various departments are renovating roads, with the total cost exceeding ₹400 crore.
"There are 13 main hotspots where pollution is very high, and our government is continuously working on those areas. All hotspots are being extra-monitored. Today, we inspected the Anand Vihar bus stop; after that, we will visit Shalimar Bagh and Ashok Vihar in North Delhi. Our goal is to address the traffic congestion at these hotspots, the lack of road management, and the degraded infrastructure there. The MCD, DTC, and PWD have taken strict action against the instructions issued three days ago. Our preparations have been ongoing for nearly seven months, and work is underway on the tenders and work orders that were issued. Work is being done on all these issues under a detailed plan. As soon as CM Rekha Gupta's government came to power, it began fighting against pollution. From charging stations to e-bus systems, work has begun on all the roads in Delhi that were prone to dust. Roads are being renovated by various departments, costing over ₹400 crore. Work on installing permanent water sprinklers through mist in these hotspots has also begun," Sirsa told reporters.
According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. The IMD had earlier predicted shallow fog for Sunday morning, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 31 and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively, according to reports.
Also Read: Delhi's air turns 'very poor', fog envelop city, visibility
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