Air pollution in Delhi-NCR below poor category; smoke guns deployed

New Delhi : The air quality in Delhi-NCR has once again went down the poor category, triggering response from the authorities who deployed smoke guns and other measures to bring down the pollution.

With the city's air quality declining, Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M took action on Wednesday, instructing officials to maintain a strict policy of no tolerance for any breaches of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) regulations aimed at reducing pollution. 

Noida and Greater Noida are currently implementing anti-pollution actions as part of the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These actions encompass activities such as the application of water to streets to mitigate pollutants and the enforcement of dust control measures at construction sites.

This development occurred as Noida's air quality deteriorated, dropping from a 'moderate' level of 170 on the day before, when Dussehra was celebrated, to a 'poor' level of 212 on Wednesday.

In the meantime, the overall air quality in the national capital on Wednesday morning was recorded in the ‘moderate’ category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 190, as per SAFAR-India.

According to the most recent information provided by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality in the vicinity of Delhi University registered a score of 273, indicating a 'poor' level during the morning hours. In contrast, the IIT area in New Delhi had a reading of 173. SAFAR also reported that the air quality in Lodhi Road stood at 149, placing it within the 'moderate' category.