WITH AN AQI OF 337, DELHI'S AIR QUALITY HAS REVERTED TO THE'VERY BAD' CATEGORY

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research recorded an AQI of 337 on Tuesday (SAFAR). Delhi's air quality was classified as'very bad,' according to SAFAR.

The Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is regarded excellent, while 100 to 200 is considered moderate, 200 to 300 is considered bad, 300 to 400 is considered extremely poor, and 400 to 500 or more is deemed severe.

Earlier on Sunday, as part of its Graded Response Action Plan, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a Union government panel advising actions to mitigate air pollution in the national capital, recommended a temporary halt on building and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR (GRAP). The statement came after the air quality in Delhi and the national capital area was classified as'severe.'

The CAQM, which on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the air quality in Delhi-NCR, put out a release saying, "As the AQI in Delhi has slipped into 'severe' category, the sub-committee had decided that all actions, as envisaged under Stage III of the GRAP, be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned, with immediate effect in the NCR, in addition to all action under Stage I and Stage II of the GRAP."

The panel also noted that air quality has deteriorated significantly in the previous 24 hours, with Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 407 on December 4, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). SAFAR reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 340 for the national capital earlier on Monday.

In its order, the CAQM said it temporarily banned construction activities, "with the exception of Metro Rail services, including stations; airport and inter-state bus terminals; railway services/stations; national security/defence-related activities/ projects of national importance; hospitals/healthcare facilities; linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines; sanitation projects like sewage treatment plants and water supply projects; ancillary activities specific to and supplementing above categories of projects".

Milk and dairy units, as well as those involved in the production of life-saving medical equipment, medications, and medicines, were exempted from the CAQM order's limitations.