In light of the prevailing pollution, Environment Minister Gopal Rai will hold a review meeting with officials from the Environment Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Friday. While speaking to ANI, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that due to the increasing pollution, a meeting has been convened today with the DPCC and officials to review the situation and discuss further steps that can be taken.
“For the past few days, the wind speed in Delhi has reduced, leading to an increase in pollution. Seeing that, we have convened a meeting today with the DPCC and officials to review the situation and discuss further steps that can be taken,” he told ANI.
The air quality in the national capital continued to hover in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at over 350 in several areas, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India).
The overall AQI for the capital was 388 at 7.55 a.m. on Friday. As of 7.55 a.m., the AQI in the Pusa area was 403, while IIT Delhi had an AQI of 579. Furthermore, the AQI in the Lodhi Road area was 359, while the AQIs in the Delhi University and Airport (Terminal-3) areas were 386 and 398, respectively.
Following a significant improvement in the overall AQI in the national capital last week, the CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management) lifted the restrictions imposed under GRAP 4 on Saturday, allowing trucks and buses to enter the city except for BS-3 and BS-4 petrol and diesel vehicles and lifting the ban on ongoing construction activities. Previously, on Tuesday last week, the Supreme Court proposed that farmers who engage in stubble burning be denied MSP benefits as part of the economic consequences of their actions.
The observation was made by the Supreme Court during a hearing on a petition concerning rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR.