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Tag: delhi pollution

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...