New Delhi: The data of Air Quality Index (AQI) has shown that in all Delhi-National Capital Region (Delhi-NCR) cities there were more days in the ‘Poor’, ‘Very Poor’ and ‘Severe’ categories of AQI during November 2023.
However, Mandikhera, Palwal, Alwar and Khurja were exceptions as compared to other cities in Delhi-NCR.
The air quality during November may be attributed to prevailing meteorological conditions and contributions from local and regional emission sources, the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
The Minister said that due to various measures undertaken for abatement of air pollution, gradual improvement in ambient particulate matter (PM) concentration has been observed in Delhi over the past few years (2020 was exceptional due to COVID) as indicated below due to various measures undertaken for abatement of air pollution:
Meanwhile, the data of AQI of major metropolitan cities indicates there are more days in the ‘Good’, ‘Satisfactory’ and ‘Moderate’ categories of AQI during November 2023 as compared to Delhi – NCR.
The Minister also referred to the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR & Adjoining Areas (CAQM), which, since its inception in 2021, has undertaken action for the prevention and control of Air pollution in Delhi-NCR & Adjoining Areas which impacts the air quality of the NCT Delhi. Choubey said the CAQM has deputed 40 teams of CPCB officers since December 2021, to conduct incognito inspections of air polluting industries, C&D sites, DG sets in Delhi-NCR to check the implementation status of pollution control measures and compliance of other provisions of the Air (P&CP) Act, 1981. A total of 16037 units/entities/ projects have been inspected as of November 24, 2023. Based on these inspections, CAQM has issued closure directions in 899 cases and out of these resumption orders have been issued in 708 cases while 132 cases are still under closure and cases of 59 balance units have been transferred to State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for final decision, he said.
– global bihari bureau
