Delhi Pollution Highlights: Work from home directions issued for 50 per cent staff in govt, private offices

A top officer of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change (EF&CC) department in Uttar Pradesh, Manoj Singh, has expressed dissatisfaction with the inadequate anti-pollution measures in Noida and Greater Noida, and asked the local administration and authorities to ramp up efforts, PTI reported.

Singh held review meetings with Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M, Greater Noida CEO Ravi Kumar NG and District Magistrate Manish Kumer Verma, the top officer has asked them to ensure that there is no dust on the roads and no burning of garbage in the open.

"Our government has appealed to the farmers and tried to make them aware. Wherever the stubble was burnt, we have also taken action against them... I want to tell the farmers that burning the stubble damages the land, and the damage to the environment affects all of us. We have controlled it a lot but we still need to work on it... Hardly 10-20 per cent are still burning stubble, the numbers came down because of the government schemes and compensation provided to the farmers..."

The Centre on Sunday ordered a ban on construction work related to linear public projects in Delhi-NCR and the entry of polluting trucks and commercial four-wheelers into the capital as an air quality crisis gripped the region.

These measures constitute the final stage, Stage IV, of the Centre's air pollution control plan, which is activated at least three days before the Air Quality Index surpasses the 450 mark in the capital.

Work from home directions have been issued for 50 per cent staff in government, private offices amid worsening air quality in Delhi, according to an order from Delhi governement.

In view of the increasing pollution and to strictly implement GRAP-4, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has called a meeting of all concerned departments tomorrow: Office of the Environment Minister

An 8-point action plan as per Stage - IV of GRAP has been announced with immediate effect in NCR.

Amid the spike in air pollution, Delhi Environment Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said on Sunday that the stubble burning in Punjab does not have as much impact on the national capital as the smoke coming from farm fires in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

As the air quality in Delhi continues to remain in 'severe' category for the fourth consecutive day, Delhi Fire Services joined hands with the Delhi Government in curbing pollution.

Primary schools in India's capital city will remain closed until Nov. 10 due to high pollution levels.

"As pollution levels continue to remain high, primary schools in Delhi will stay closed till 10th November," said Delhi Education Minister Atishi Marlena.

As per CPCB, here are some measures citizens can take to help government mitigate air pollution.

As per SAFAR-India, these are the major hotspot regions: IGI Airport (Terminal 3), Shadipur, Delhi Cantonment, Bawana, and Aya Nagar, respectively.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) roped in to help curb pollution; fire tenders used to sprinkle water in areas identified as pollution hotspots in the city.

Air pollution is an important and under recognised risk factor for cardiovascular event. Higher levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) lead to endothelial dysfunction and slow flow in coronaries and systemic inflammation, leading to accelerated atherosclerosis and thrombus (clot formation): Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, Senior Cardiologist, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru

To mitigate pollution, anti-smog guns used to sprinkle water near the NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Corporation) Civic Centre area.

The central and state governments are busy in a blame game and have failed to find a solution. When will they wake up and find a solution to this problem? Temporary lockdowns, shutting construction sites are not a permanent solution, but are just an eyewash: Abhishek Dutt, Congress

Closure of all primary schools in Delhi extended till November 10, informs education minister Atishi. For classes 6-12, on the other hand, schools given option to hold online classes, she further states.

Delhi's AQI improves marginally to 410 on Sunday, as against 504 on the previous day, as per System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India). For a fourth consecutive day, however, the air quality here continues to be in the ‘severe’ category.

We started a mega rally to sweep the dust and slit…we have fixed a time and given the time chart to the senior officials to make sure that everything is clean. Air guns and water sprinklers are also being used. We have given a notice and stopped the construction activities. We are following all rules and regulations and making sure that the GRAP rules are also followed. Strict action is being taken against any violation: Lokesh M

Delhi, with an AQI of 483 at 7:30am, is the world's ‘most polluted city’ on Sunday, reports NDTV. Kolkata (206) and Mumbai (162) are third and sixth, respectively.

Pakistan's Lahore is at second with an AQI of 371. Other cities in top 10 are Dhaka (AQI 189), Karachi (162), Shenyang (159), Hangzhou (159), Kuwait City (159) and Wuhan (152).

Air quality has deteriorated in Mumbai too, as visuals here, taken from Marine Drive and CST, at around 7am, show.

At 7am, the financial capital's AQI stood at 184.

Delhi's Qutub Minar ara engulfed by a thick layer of haze.

Delhi's AQI continues to be in the ‘severe’ category, as per CPCB.

AQI at 486 in Dwarka Sector-8; 480 (IGI Airport-T3), 464 (Aya Nagar) and 463 (Jahangirpuri).

On Sunday, Delhi woke up to an air quality index (AQI) of 457, the CPCB said. At 5am, AQI in other major cities was recorded at 175 (Ahmedabad), 45 (Bengaluru), 53 (Chennai), 85 (Hyderabad), 278 (Jaipur), 232 (Lucknow), 182 (Mumbai), and 226 (Patna).