Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to a blanket of smog on Saturday, with the air quality dropping to ‘Poor’ levels as winter approaches. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 273, while Ghaziabad recorded 246, and Noida at 228 by 8:20 am.
In several areas of Delhi, the AQI dipped into more hazardous categories. Akshardham and Anand Vihar recorded AQIs as high as 334, categorized as ‘Very Poor’, while the areas around AIIMS dropped to 253. The iconic India Gate area saw the AQI touch 251, all categorized under ‘Poor’.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai held an emergency meeting on Friday to address the worsening pollution situation, emphasizing the need to tackle the issue as winter approaches. The Minister highlighted that there are 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi where the AQI has surpassed 300, including areas like Wazirpur, Mundka, and Rohini, with Wazirpur recording the highest AQI.
In addition to the smog, toxic foam was seen covering the Yamuna river, raising concerns among environmental experts. The foam contains high levels of harmful chemicals such as ammonia and phosphates, posing significant health risks, including respiratory and skin problems. With major festivals like Chhath Puja approaching, the pollution in the Yamuna is alarming, and experts have called for urgent government action.
Currently, Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in Delhi-NCR in an effort to curb rising pollution levels.
