Air Pollution LIVE Updates: Schools in Delhi-NCR Shut, 50% Office Staff to Work from Home; SC Will Hear AQI Issue Today
Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday morning remained in the ‘very poor’ quality as it was recorded at 379 at 7 am, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor SAFAR. The Supreme Court, which had instructed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to hold a joint meeting with officials from Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
regarding the deteriorating pollution levels in the national capital, will hear the matter today.
The apex court is hearing a plea filed by environmental activist Aditya Dubey and law student Aman Banka, who sought directions to provide stubble-removing machines to small and marginal farmers for free.
The city’s air quality was again in the ‘severe’ category with the 24-hour average AQI recorded at 403 after remaining in the ‘very poor’ category till Tuesday morning, when the AQI was recorded at 396. 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’.
Meanwhile, the CAQM late night Tuesday directed that schools, colleges and educational institutions in the National Capital Region (NCR) will remain closed until further orders, allowing only online mode of education. It also said that only five of the 11 thermal power plants located within 300 km radius of Delhi NTPC, Jhajjar; Mahatma Gandhi TPS, CLP Jhajjar; Panipat TPS, HPGCL; Nabha Power Ltd. TPS, Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo TPS, Mansa will remain operational till November 30.
In a bid to contain the spiralling air pollution levels, the commission directed Delhi and the NCR states to stop construction and demolition activities in the region till November 21, barring railway services/railway stations, metro rail corporation services, including stations, airports and inter-state bus terminals (ISBTS) and national security/defence-related activities/projects of national importance subject to strict compliance of the C&D Waste Management Rules and dust control norms. Trucks carrying non-essential items have been banned from entering Delhi till Sunday.
The commission had held a meeting on Tuesday with senior officials of Delhi and NCR states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in connection with the severe air pollution in the region ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on the matter.
On Monday, Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi had told the Supreme Court that it was ready to take steps like complete lockdown to control deterioration of air quality. The Delhi government also mentioned that such a step, however, would be meaningful if it is implemented across the NCR areas in neighbouring states.