Delhi air quality worsens, AQI worst in country at 382
New Delhi | Delhi's air quality was on the brink of the 'severe' category on Sunday with an overall AQI reading of 382 – the worst recorded in the country for the day.
Fifteen monitoring stations of the city recorded air quality levels in the 'severe' zone, having AQI readings over 400, data showed.
The city also recorded its lowest nighttime temperature so far, as thick smog and haze shrouded it in a dense cover during the morning and evening hours.
The minimum temperature recorded on Sunday was 16.5 degrees Celsius, 1.2 degrees above normal, according to the weather department.
The national capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 382, worsening from 316 the previous day.
The locations where air pollution levels reached the 'severe' zone are Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, NSIT Dwarka, Najafgarh, Nehru Nagar, Okhla Phase 2, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, Wazirpur and Vivek Vihar.
Despite the temporary relief provided by the winds, Delhi saw a spike in pollution levels following Diwali, with a noticeable jump recorded on Sunday.
Elsewhere in the country, several places recorded AQI levels in the 'very poor' category, though still better than the national capital. Bahadurpura, in Telangana, recorded an AQI of 335, Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar 302, Noida 313 and Haryana's Sonipat 321.
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', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 33.2 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees above normal, according to the weather department.
The humidity level fluctuated between 64 and 95 per cent during the day.
The weather office forecast said shallow fog was likely on Monday morning, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to settle at 34 and 17 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Over 54,000 vehicles fined, 56 construction sites shut in Delhi-NCRNew Delhi | The Centre's panel to improve air quality in Delhi-NCR on Sunday said it ordered the closure of 56 construction and demolition sites and imposed fines on 597 sites for failing to comply with pollution control norms between October 15 and 31.
In a statement, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said over 54,000 vehicles were penalised for lacking a valid pollution-under-control certificate, and 3,900 overage vehicles were impounded during the period.
The CAQM said more than 5,300 inspections targeted illegal waste dumping sites, with actions taken against violations, particularly for burning municipal solid waste.
To control road dust, mechanical road-sweeping machines, water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns have been deployed across the region.
On average, around 600 water sprinklers and anti-smog guns were used daily throughout NCR.
Around 1,400 industrial units and 1,300 diesel generator sets were inspected, with non-compliant units facing fines or closure, according to the CAQM.
Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been in effect in Delhi-NCR since October 15, while Stage II was implemented starting October 22.
The CAQM said a GRAP Monitoring Control Room has been operational since October 15 to oversee targeted actions by NCR states.
A dedicated WhatsApp group also facilitates real-time updates between the control room and nodal officers.
GRAP is a set of emergency measures implemented during the winter season to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
The plan is categorised into four stages based on Delhi’s air quality levels: Stage I - 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II - 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III - 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV - 'Severe Plus' (AQI>450).