Delhi: AQI continues in very poor category, pollution body refuses to implement GRAP-3 measures
AQI in Delhi continued in the 'very poor' category for yet another day on Monday. The only good news being that farm fires from Punjab and Haryana did not contribute that much to the city's PM 2.5 levels on Monday. Their share was 5 per cent, compared to 8 per cent on Sunday. The concerned authorities however refused to implement GRAP 3 measures to control pollution in Delhi-NCR.
New Delhi: Pollution continues to cause havoc in Delhi. The national capital recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 347 and a thick layer of smog engulfed the city on Monday morning. While average AQI on Sunday was recorded at 392 in the city, Monday was a bit better with 347, said SAFAR.
Crop burning in Punjab reduces, air in Delhi improves
One must note that as compared to Sunday, the contribution of crop burning in Punjab to Delhi's air pollution on Monday has reduced. The contribution of farm fire emissions to Delhi's PM 2.5 levels remained low, declining to around 5 per cent, compared to Sunday's 8 per cent.
As air quality in the national capital continued to deteriorate, the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) subcommittee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) met in the evening to review the situation. This after Delhi's early morning AQI continued to remain in the 'very poor' category.
Following the meeting, the panel said that Delhi’s hourly average AQI stood at 391 at 10 am, but by the evening 4 pm, it had improved to 370 and was 5 points down at 365 an hour later. All this led them to conclude that there was no need to put in place GRAP 3 guidelines.
The committee said that implementing GRAP-3 guidelines at this stage was unnecessary. They however said that GRAP stage 1 and 2 guidelines would continue to be enforced. Earlier this morning New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) vehicles could be seen sprinkling water in the area around Lodhi Road. Such measures are also being taken in other parts of the city.