Delhi AQI Hits Season High of 391, Still No Stage 3 Pollution Curbs | Delhi News
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Delhi's air quality has reached a season high of 391 on Sunday morning, pushing the city to the brink of a 'severe' category. Despite this, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has not activated Stage 3 measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which would impose stricter pollution control rules. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app, 23 out of 39 active air quality monitoring stations recorded 'severe' levels, with Rohini and Wazirpur being the worst affected. However, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has denied allegations of faulty data and potential manipulation, citing an improvement in AQI in the first week of November compared to last year. In response to the deteriorating air quality, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has advised residents to use public transport, carpool, and work from home whenever possible. The Delhi government has also urged private institutions to implement flexible work arrangements. If the AQI were to breach the 400 mark, Stage 3 of GRAP would be activated, imposing a range of restrictions, including a ban on private BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers, blanket curbs on private construction and demolitions, and restrictions on the use of stone crushers and mining activities. The city's minimum temperature on Sunday was 11.6°C, three degrees below normal, and is expected to continue to be impacted by cold northwesterly winds. The Decision Support System (DSS) has forecast a daily contribution of over 32% to Delhi's PM2.5 levels on Sunday.
