Thursday, December 19News That Matters

Tag: delhi pollution

Delhi Air Quality Hits ‘Severe Plus’ as GRAP Stage 4 Restrictions Return

Delhi Air Quality Hits ‘Severe Plus’ as GRAP Stage 4 Restrictions Return

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
Delhi air quality deteriorated further on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 440, marking another day in the ‘severe’ category. By 7 am, several monitoring stations reported AQI levels above 450, pushing parts of the city into the ‘severe-plus’ category. Areas like Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, and Jahangirpuri recorded AQI levels near 480, signifying hazardous air. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) defines AQI above 450 as “severe-plus,” with serious health implications for all age groups. In response, authorities have reimposed Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), banning construction, restricting diesel trucks, and recommending work-from-home for 50% of employees. Public health experts warn breathing Delhi’s air is akin to smoking 10 cigarett...
Delhi Chokes Again AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Levels Amid Winter Smog

Delhi Chokes Again AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Levels Amid Winter Smog

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
Delhi’s air quality plummeted further on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, breaching the hazardous threshold with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 421 at 7 a.m., according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Key areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Alipur reported AQI levels ranging from 400 to 470, marking a dire escalation in the city's ongoing battle with toxic air. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classified Delhi’s air as “Very Poor,” though localized areas ventured into the more alarming “Severe” zone. Such levels pose significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Adding to the city’s challenges, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reco...
Delhi Experiences Coldest December Day in Three Years at 4.5°C

Delhi Experiences Coldest December Day in Three Years at 4.5°C

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
Thursday marked Delhi's coldest December day in three years as the minimum temperature plummeted to 4.5°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Cold wave conditions gripped the city, with temperatures in the Pusa and Ayangar areas dropping even further to 3.2°C and 3.8°C, respectively. The IMD defines a cold wave as temperatures below 4.1°C or a deviation of over 4.4°C below normal. Thursday's 4.5°C minimum was 0.4°C below the average, and significantly lower than the 5°C recorded the previous day. December temperatures hadn’t dipped below 4.9°C in 2022 or 2023, with the lowest in December 2023 being 4.9°C and 5°C in December 2022. The IMD forecasts further cold wave conditions for Delhi on Friday, with the minimum temperature expected to hover around 4°C. Clear sk...
Can Cloud Seeding Help Delhi Breathe Cleaner Air?

Can Cloud Seeding Help Delhi Breathe Cleaner Air?

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments
Delhi is grappling with its annual air pollution crisis, with Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the “severe plus” category, consistently above 450. In response, Delhi’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for assistance in deploying cloud seeding a controversial technique to induce artificial rain and potentially reduce pollution levels. What is Cloud Seeding? Cloud seeding, also known as artificial rain, involves dispersing substances like silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice into clouds to stimulate precipitation. These particles act as nuclei around which water droplets form, potentially triggering rainfall. The process can be carried out via aircraft, rockets, or ground-based generators. In theory, the rainfall generated could "wa...
Delhi’s Air Pollution Disrupts Flights and Trains Amid Smog Crisis

Delhi’s Air Pollution Disrupts Flights and Trains Amid Smog Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
Severe smog blanketed Delhi on Monday, reducing visibility and causing significant disruptions to train and flight operations. The worsening air quality, classified as “severe plus,” led to delays across the city’s transportation network. Over 160 flights, including 118 departures and 43 arrivals, were delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport by 8:30 am due to reduced visibility, according to Flightradar24. The airport activated low visibility procedures and issued an advisory urging passengers to stay updated with their airlines about flight statuses. Smog also disrupted train operations, delaying over 28 trains arriving at New Delhi and Anand Vihar Railway stations by two to nine hours. Passengers were seen waiting outside stations amid the confusion. Severe Air Quality Tr...
Delhi’s Air Quality Deteriorates: Second Most Polluted City in the World

Delhi’s Air Quality Deteriorates: Second Most Polluted City in the World

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
New Delhi: Delhi's air quality remains in the "severe" category for the third consecutive day, with the city now ranked the second most polluted globally. According to Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir, Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 498 on Friday morning, trailing only Lahore, Pakistan, which reported a shocking AQI of 770. Top Polluted Areas in Delhi The Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app highlighted the city’s worst-affected areas: Jahangirpuri: AQI 458 Bawana: AQI 455 Wazirpur: AQI 455 Rohini: AQI 452 Punjabi Bagh: AQI 443 Transport Hit Hard by Smog Thick smog reduced visibility across the city, with Palam and Safdarjung areas reporting visibility as low as 500m and 400m, respectively. This has severely disrupted transport servic...
Toxic Smog Engulfs New Delhi as Air Pollution Soars to 50 Times WHO Limit

Toxic Smog Engulfs New Delhi as Air Pollution Soars to 50 Times WHO Limit

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
New Delhi, India – A dense toxic smog blanketed New Delhi on Wednesday, with pollution levels surging to over 50 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit. Residents of the sprawling city of over 30 million grappled with choking air, as monitoring firm IQAir reported hazardous levels of PM2.5 pollutants topping 806 micrograms per cubic meter – microparticles that pose severe risks as they can enter the bloodstream through the lungs. Many in the city cannot afford air filters or create sealed indoor spaces to protect themselves, and the smog has led to delayed flights, with visibility dropping below 500 meters in Delhi and even lower at 18 airports across northern India. The hazardous air is attributed to a range of factors, including agricultural stubble burning i...
Delhi Air Crisis Deepens as Madhya Pradesh Leads Stubble Burning Cases, Surpassing Punjab and Haryana

Delhi Air Crisis Deepens as Madhya Pradesh Leads Stubble Burning Cases, Surpassing Punjab and Haryana

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
As Delhi grapples with dangerously poor air quality, a recent study reveals that stubble burning a major contributor to pollution is escalating in states other than Punjab and Haryana. Data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) shows that Madhya Pradesh has recorded the highest number of stubble burning cases last week, marking a worrying shift in air pollution sources affecting Delhi. Madhya Pradesh Emerges as Top Contributor For the week of October 19 to October 25, Madhya Pradesh registered 536 incidents of stubble burning, far exceeding Punjab’s 401 cases and Haryana’s 192. This emerging trend suggests that the problem of crop residue burning is shifting geographically, with Madhya Pradesh now on the forefront. Stubble burning contributes significantly to Delh...
Surprisingly Improved Air Quality of Delhi in April 2024

Surprisingly Improved Air Quality of Delhi in April 2024

Breaking News, Environment
Delhi experienced a notable improvement in air quality during April 2024, recording the maximum number of 'Good to Moderate' air quality days in comparison to the last six years, with the exception of the lockdown year 2020 due to COVID-19. This improvement can be attributed to favorable meteorological conditions and the concerted efforts of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) along with various stakeholders to control air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). Key Highlights Number of Good to Moderate Air Quality Days: Delhi witnessed 23 days with 'Good to Moderate' air quality in April 2024, compared to 17 days in 2023, 0 in 2022, 18 in 2021, 30 in 2020 (during the lockdown period), 12 in 2019, and 8 in 2018. Control of Poor to Se...
Delhi’s Air Quality Crosses 400-mark, Centre Monitors Situation Before Imposing Stricter Measures

Delhi’s Air Quality Crosses 400-mark, Centre Monitors Situation Before Imposing Stricter Measures

Breaking News, Environment
January 25, 2024 Delhi's average air quality index (AQI) breached the 400-mark on Wednesday, signaling very poor air quality, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The AQI categories range from 'good' (0-100) to 'severe' (400-500 or above). While the very poor air quality prevailed, the Centre decided to monitor the situation for a day or more before considering stricter measures under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The sub-committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reviewed the current air quality scenario, meteorological conditions, and forecasts by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Based on the projections that Delhi's average AQI is likely to improve, the sub-com...