Delhiites continue to breathe highly toxic air as there is no respite in sight. City’s air quality on Wednesday was recorded under ‘very poor category’ on National Ambient Air quality Index (NAAQI) on Wednesday and in four areas the levels recorded under “Severe” category.
Pollution monitoring agency Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) also noted that actions of the public and enforcement bodies have been inadequate in curbing pollution.
With no clarity on undertaking of cloud seeding to induce artificial rain in the national Capital, scientists at IIT Kanpur said they had made all preparations, including procurement of aircraft from the ISRO, to conduct the same.
According to CPCB data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 373, which falls in the “very poor” category. Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, Mundka and Wazirpur recorded “severe” air quality, while 30 areas recorded “very poor” air quality, it said.
At 392, the overall air quality of Greater Noida was the worst in the National Capital Region (NCR), just points below the “severe” category. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded “very poor” overall air quality.
On Wednesday, the PM2.5 level (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre level) was recorded at 240, while the PM10 level was recorded at 389, the CPCB data said.
According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), air quality in the national capital is expected to remain in the “very poor” category in the next two to three days.
“At present, winds are unfavourable for dispersion which allows pollutants to accumulate. Humidity is still high which is unfavourable,” the SAFAR said in its report, adding that fire counts from stubble burning has declined and will have a marginal impact.
Meanwhile, the CPCB directed public and enforcement agencies to immediately join social media platforms on which citizens can lodge their complaints on pollution directly, noting that actions of these bodies have been “inadequate”.
The directions have been made to the NDMC, SDMC, EDMC, DMRC, CPWD, DDA and the state pollution control boards of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, among other public bodies.
In a meeting with public agencies and state pollution control boards, CPCB Member Secretary Prashant Gargava asked the agencies to join social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to facilitate citizens lodging complaints of air polluting activities.
“It has been observed that most of the agencies are yet to join social media platforms and take action in respect of complaints concerning them,” the CPCB was quoted as saying in the minutes of the meeting that took place last week.
The CPCB said the complaints reported were forwarded to the agencies concerned for action, however “it is observed that most of the agencies are yet to join and also action taken on complaints are inadequate”.
“It was reiterated that agencies must immediately create Facebook page and Twitter handle to join CPCB social media platform to address complaints,” it said, adding that the action taken in response must also be posted on the same platform through which complaints are received.
Gargava directed
representatives of agencies to ensure effective corrective action in all cases of air polluting activities being reported through social media and the Sameer app that has been developed by the CPCB.