Delhi Pollution News

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's air pollution level on Saturday improved to 'Poor' category after it rained in several areas in the Delhi-NCR region. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 298, which is the lowest in a month. However, India's weather forecasting system said pollution levels could go up again in a few days.

Nearly 300 Gurugram residents have signed up for a week-long car-free challenge starting Monday. People will narrate the hurdles they face while commuting in the city without their cars for a week on the Facebook page ‘The Car Free Challenge’. The initiative aims to combat the city’s worsened air quality and provide infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday upheld the ban on the use of petroleum coke in and around Delhi, to counter high pollution levels in the national capital. Petroleum coke, which emits 11% more greenhouse gases than coal, was banned on November 1 in industrial units of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by power-generating government company National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and aluminium manufacturing company Hindalco seeking exemption from the ban on the use of furnace oil and pet coke. The companies had argued that the ban would affect the business and lead to the closure of their production units causing a loss of jobs.

The National Green Tribunal directed on Friday that only CNG buses and cabs will be allowed to ply at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, amid worsening air pollution levels in the national capital. It further directed the airport authorities to ensure that all non-CNG vehicles plying on the airport be converted into CNG vehicles within six months of time.

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has urged the India Meteorological Department to give out at least a week's forecast for weather, adding that current two-day alert is not enough to prepare for pollution spikes. "There is an immediate need for better, long-term pollution forecasts. Give us a chance to be prepared and take action," EPCA told MeT officials.

Revealing the link between air pollution and mental diseases, a report by Centre for Science and Environment has revealed that air pollution causes 30% of all premature deaths in India. The report further stated that factors like air pollution, tobacco, alcohol and diet change are likely to trigger over 1.73 million new cancer cases each year by 2020.

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Friday released satellite images capturing pollution levels in India on November 10, where the National Capital Region is categorised under 'high' level of pollution. Another ESA satellite image shows severe amount of pollution emitted from power plants located in a belt between Bihar's Patna and Chhattisgarh's Raipur.

In the last ten days, 12 cases of open waste burning were reported on an average across Gurugram every day, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram revealed last week. However, in October, the number of such cases reported on a single day was less than four. The corporation has issued challans to 61 violators in the last ten days in this regard.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday rapped the Delhi government for not submitting the action plan to curb Delhi's severe pollution despite its earlier order, and directed it to file the plan within the next 48 hours. The government said it needed more time to file the action plan as the chief secretary and environment secretary were recently changed.

A panel headed by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Monday held a meeting with the representatives of neighbouring states to discuss measures to curb Delhi's air pollution. While Punjab suggested farmers should be monetarily compensated to stop them from practicing stubble burning, Haryana said that government cooperatives be provided with loans to purchase stubble processors, reports said.

Talking about the recent concerns over rising pollution in Delhi-NCR, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee suggested that the capital's "political pollution" was causing so much air pollution. Pointing out that Sri Lankan cricketers had to wear masks while playing a Test match at Feroz Shah Kotla, Banerjee said, "From political pollution to weather pollution, Delhi represents it all."

The All India Professionals' Congress has unveiled a report prepared by its Delhi chapter under Shashi Tharoor on the air pollution in the national capital. Slamming the Centre and the Delhi government for allegedly not doing enough to prevent rising air pollution levels, Tharoor said ensuring clean breathing air was the "fundamental responsibility" of any government.

At least one in every seven traffic policemen in Delhi has been diagnosed with respiratory disorders including lung congestion and asthma, according to reports. Results of a medical camp showed that 80 of 516 policemen who took part suffered from breathing problems. They were advised to wear anti-pollution masks on duty amid the high pollution levels in the national capital.

Submitting its action plan to combat pollution at the National Green Tribunal, the Delhi government has said that there will be no exemptions under the odd-even rule. Further, construction will be completely stopped once pollution level reaches 'Severe' levels. It also said that entry of trucks in Delhi and burning of waste will be banned, and pollution causing industries shut.

Delhi Government on Wednesday tested an 'anti-smog gun', a machine that sprays water into the air, to bring down pollution levels in the National Capital. The test was conducted in east Delhi, where the air quality was 'Hazardous'. Meanwhile, in an attempt to reduce pollution, Delhi Lieutenant Governor has directed municipal corporations to ensure no fires occur at landfill sites.