Smog Lingers Over Delhi, Residents Struggle with ‘Very Poor’ AQI
A thick layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Friday while the air quality index in Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 7 am on Friday, the CPCB recorded Delhi’s AQI at 371, which placed it in the ‘very poor’ category. According to the CPCB data, the AQI measured at Chandni Chowk till 7 am was 359, IGI Airport (T3) 357, ITO 344, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 342, RK Puram 372, Okhla Phase 2 374, Patparganj 379, Sonia Vihar 400 and Aya Nagar 359.
In Noida, a thin layer of smog engulfed the city, where the AQI was recorded at 262, which is categorised as ‘poor’ according to the CPCB.
In Agra, the iconic Taj Mahal looked ethereal amid a thin layer of fog. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality in the region is in the ‘moderate’ category. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city witnessed ‘light fog’ today.
Stephanie, a tourist from London, said that the Taj Mahal is absolutely amazing, but there is a lot of pollution in the air.
“I think the Taj is absolutely amazing. It is very beautiful, especially in the morning when there is a lot of fog and the river water is rising. It looks very beautiful. But I think there is a lot of pollution in the air; you can smell the smoke. But it makes for a very beautiful picture,” she told ANI.
Delhi has been battling severe air quality and thick smog for the past few weeks. At 8 am on Thursday, the city’s AQI was recorded at 379, categorised as ‘very poor’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Earlier on Thursday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a scathing attack on Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and accused him of being indifferent to the growing pollution crisis in north India.
Citing a national daily’s report titled “AQI in north India hits ‘severe plus’ levels; toxic smog now visible even from space,” the AAP wrote on Twitter (formerly Twitter), “Bhupender Yadav ji doesn’t care”.
In view of the alarming pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented Phase IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR from November 18. Phase IV of GRAP includes restrictions such as a ban on entry of trucks and suspension of public works projects.