New Delhi: Delhi's air quality deteriorated drastically after Diwali fireworks. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Monday night posted Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi's Defence Colony and Naraina areas. Shockingly, in the screenshots shared by Bharadwaj, the AQI of Defence Colony at 10:30 pm on Monday was 1,074 and in Naraina Village at 11:14 pm it was 1,768.
However, the AQI However, at 1 pm on Tuesday, the AQI of Naraina village dipped to 157 (poor category), while that of Defence Colony stands at 293 (very poor or unhealthy' category).
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 350 as of 8 am on Tuesday.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is severe.
GRAP Stage -2 Imposed In Delhi:
Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had imposed Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the National Capital Region with immediate effect on Sunday.
"Actions under Stage I and II of the extant GRAP shall be implemented, monitored, and reviewed in earnest by all concerned agencies in the entire NCR to ensure that AQI levels do not slip further. All implementing agencies shall maintain a strict vigil and intensify measures to the extent specified in the GRAP schedule. Citizens may be requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-I & II", order by CAQM read.
Supreme Court's Order On Green Crackers:
On October 15, the Supreme Court allowed the use of sale and use of certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR between October 18 and October 21, ending the four-year ban on fireworks in the national capital territory (NCT). The court directed that both online and offline sales of green crackers would be permitted, subject to strict conditions.
Each firecracker must carry a QR code verifying its certification, and bursting will only be allowed between between 6:00 am to 7:00 am and 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
