“Delhi has been choking every year and we have not been able to do anything,” the Supreme Court said today
Delhi Air Quality, Pollution Level Today, Odd-Even Traffic Rule: The Supreme Court Monday put a halt on all construction and development activity in Delhi NCR and announced a fine of Rs 1 lakh for violation.
The top court has also directed the Centre and Delhi government to work in tandem to deal with garbage issue — which is contributing to air pollution in the city — on a war footing, and ordered water sprinkling on roads to contain dust.
“Delhi has been choking every year and we have not been able to do anything…This can’t be done in a civilised society..Goverments only passing the buck…Why should there be crop burning?” the apex court asked, emphasising that situation in Delhi is so bad that “no one is safe even inside homes.”
In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a car with his fellow mates to reach his work at the onset of the odd-even scheme. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia rode a bicycle to his work from his residence. Protesting the scheme, BJP MP Vijay Goel drove to ITO and was issued a challan for violating the rules. Under odd-even, private vehicles with number plates ending with odd and even numbers will be allowed on roads on alternate days. Those ending with 0,2,4,6,8 are allowed to ply on the capital’s roads today.
Air quality in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) remained in the “severe” category” for the seventh consecutive day on Monday even as odd-even traffic scheme came into effect in the morning. The Air Quality Index registered an alarming 708 at 8 am, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
Pollution levels in the national capital dipped on Monday, moving from "severe" to "very poor" category, with an increase in wind speed which reduced the noxious haze that obscured Delhi's skies for around a week.
A day after pollution levels peaked to a three-year high (494), the city's air quality index at 4 pm on Monday read 407. It dipped further and at 8.30 pm the AQI stood at 370, which falls in the "very poor" category.
The relief came as the number of vehicles on Delhi roads came down significantly with the AAP government rolling out its car rationing scheme.
"Though there is a significant, visible change in pollution levels, the national capital's air quality index remained in the "severe" category till 4 pm. This is because the AQI reading at any given time is an average of AQIs recorded in the previous 24 hours," CPCB's former air lab chief Dipankar Saha said. (PTI)
The Haryana government on Monday directed officials to take strict action against those found burning crop residue, as a blanket of haze enveloped the state and the air quality index in many districts remaining in the 'severe' and 'very poor' category. At a meeting here with the deputy commissioners and all-district officers, Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora said officers, with the help of mobile teams, should immediately reach the area where stubble burning is reported and strict action should be taken against those indulging in the practice.
During the meeting held through video conference, Arora directed the officers to carry out intensive campaign to prevent the problem.
The National Green Tribunal Monday took cognisance of deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR and asked officials from the Delhi government, Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and Ministry of Environment and Forests to appear before it tomorrow. The bench of NGT chairperson Justice A K Goel, after an in-chamber proceeding, summoned Delhi chief secretary, DPCC chairman, member secretary of CPCB and concerned secretary of MoEF for 10.30 am tomorrow.
The Supreme Court Monday said it has no sympathy for farmers who are indulging in stubble burning as they are putting lives of others at risk.
The Supreme Court Monday directed authorities to ensure there is no power cut in Delhi-NCR and that generators are not used except in emergency essential services.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia: People of Delhi have owned up the Odd-Even scheme. There has been a high level of compliance till now. The first day has been highly successful. Total 192 challans have been issued today till now.
The Supreme Court Monday put a halt on all construction and development activity in Delhi NCR. And levied fine of Rs 1 lakh for violation. The top court also halt garbage burning and ordered fine of Rs 5000 for flouting this. The court has directed the Centre and Delhi government to work in tandem to deal with garbage issue — which is contributing to the pollution — on a war footing, and has ordered water sprinkling on roads to contain dust.
Hitting out at the state governments over their inaction in dealing with Delhi's pollution crisis, the Supreme Court warned that "everyone, from Chief Secretary to Gram Pradhan will be held liable if there is any further incident of stubble burning."
The Supreme Court has directed state governments and its agencies upto the level of gram panchayats to ensure that there is no further stubble burning.
The Supreme Court summoned the Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to appear in court on November 6. People are losing precious years of their lives due to pollution, the court said Monday and slammed authorities for their failure to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR.
A bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta asked the Centre to call environmental experts, including from IIT, to the court
The Supreme Court Monday questioned the logic behind Delhi government's Odd-Even scheme to curb pollution in the national capital. The court said banning one vehicle and allowing another won’t alter the situation radically . "What is needed is better public transport," the court said.
Justice Arun Mishra: “This (situation in Delhi) is worse than emergency. That emergency was better than this emergency”.
When it comes to air purifiers, there are some aspects to keep in mind, which can help ensure that the air in your home at least gets filtered. We list out the pointers to keep in mind before hitting buy on an air purifier, and some air purifiers to consider for your home, across budgets. Read here
As the national capital continues to grapple with severe levels of air pollution, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter to impart some advice on how to counter pollution-related problems. Vardhan, who is a doctor by profession, suggested eating carrots and food items with high level of antioxidants to combat pollution-related health issues.
In a tweet on Monday, Vardhan said oxidative stress triggered by various pollutants has serious negative effects on human health. "One positive action is to include food items with high level of antioxidants that can neutralise this. Of course, the solution lies in exposure prevention and control," he said.
On Sunday, he had tweeted, "Eating carrots helps the body get Vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants which protect against night blindness common in India. Carrots also help against other pollution-related harm to health."
The Supreme Court Monday slammed authorities for failing to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR and said they have left people to die. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta took serious note of crop burning in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh and said it cannot go unabated every year.
"Can we survive in this atmosphere? This is not the way we can survive," the bench said. "People are being advised not to come to Delhi due to pollution, state governments are responsible for this," the court said.
Hitting out at state governments over the deteriorating air quality in Delhi, the Supreme Court Monday said, "No one is safe even inside homes; it is atrocious."
The Supreme Court hit out at state governments and said that they were responsible for pollution in Delhi. It said, "Delhi has been choking every year and we have not been able to do anything... This can't be done in a civil society. Governments only passing the buck... Why should there be crop burning?"
Aam Aadmi Party takes a jibe at BJP over stubble burning
BJP MP Vijay Goel on Monday violated Delhi’s odd-even scheme by driving to ITO in his odd-numbered vehicle. “My violation of odd-even scheme of the Kejriwal government will be symbolic because it’s an election stunt and drama in view of assembly election,” Goel said. “With exemptions to 70 lakh two-wheelers, cab aggregators Ola and Uber, three-wheelers and women drivers, the odd-even scheme has been rendered a mere gimmick and an election stunt,” he added. Read more
"We must make an effort and unite against pollution. Clean air is our right and our responsibility too," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
BJP MP Vijay Goel on Monday said that he will oppose the Odd-Even scheme by driving his car towards ITO in the afternoon. He added that last year, the Aam Aadmi Party government had spent Rs 20 crore on the scheme, and this time it is almost Rs 35 crore which is being spent on the scheme.
All schools in Delhi and NCR will be shut until Tuesday (November 5). The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) ordered a complete shutdown of construction in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida. The action is part of a series of incremental steps to be taken under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as the quality of the air deteriorates. Read more
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday tweeted the fresh figures of stubble burning in the northern part of India.
Properly-fitting masks have been shown to dramatically reduce exposure to air pollution and to improve markers of respiratory health. And yet, few people in Delhi wear protective masks, even when travelling through heavily polluted areas. In contrast, masks are a common sight in major cities in countries like China and South Korea, even when pollution levels are just a fraction of the levels typically encountered in Northern India. Research suggests that this is due to two factors: first, awareness about the harmful effects of air pollution is still relatively low; and second, there may be social norms that discourage people from adopting and using their masks. Read more
Watch: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia leaves for his office on a bicycle
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeals to the auto drivers and the taxi drivers in Delhi and asks them not to overcharge during the Odd-Even scheme.
"We cannot control the pollution which is coming from the other states due to stubble burning. But we can control the pollution in our own city, which is why we have started the Odd-Even road rationing scheme in the city. I am happy that people are following it," says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
An organisation like Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, elimination of DG sets and installation of air purifiers at public places are among NITI Aayog’s recommendations to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR. As per sources, the report, ‘Strategy To Curb Air Pollution in Delhi NCR’, prepared by NITI Aayog with help of international experts, was shared with the departments concerned of the Centre and states. It states: “Pollution level in the city is 20 times higher than WHO recommended levels. Consequences of air pollution are now beginning to affect city’s inhabitants in a very serious way.” Read more
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Delhiites woke up to a smoggy morning on Monday as the minimum temperature settled at 18.9 degrees Celsius, four notches above the season's average. A MeT Department official said that the maximum temperature is likely to be around 28 degrees Celsius. The official forecast mainly clear skies with shallow fog in the morning and strong surface winds during day with a speed of 20-25 kmph. (PTI)
Pollution levels in the national capital dropped marginally on Monday morning due to a slight increase in wind speed, but the air quality remained in the 'severe' category. At 4.38 am, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 438. The AQI at Alipur, Narela, and Bawana were registered at 493, 486 and 472 respectively. On Sunday, the national capital's average AQI stood at 494, the highest since November 6, 2016, when it was 497. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (452), Ghaziabad (474) and Greater Noida (454), Gurgaon (396), Faridabad (426) were breathing extremely polluted air. (PTI)
"When something as fundamental as the health of our children is at risk, we should devise a more robust, permanent solution to the problem of pollution. This forms the basis of the need for amending the 1981 Air Act and making it more compatible with contemporary India," writes Gaurav Gogoi, Congress MP in Lok Sabha. Read more
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday said the Centre has to step in and find a consensus to resolve the crisis of pollution caused by stubble burning. The move came days after he called Delhi Chief Minister Amarinder Singh a “shameless liar” for blaming farm fires in Punjab for pollution, and a day after he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi admitting that stubble fires and wind direction were partly to blame. On Sunday, the CM in a statement said that the Punjab government had initiated action against 2,923 farmers so far in 20,729 cases of stubble burning reported till November 1, and predicted a 10-20 per cent decline this year as compared to last year, due to intensified drives to stop the practice. Read more
The Centre “postponed” three meetings on air quality between September and October, AAP alleged Sunday, releasing documents to back its claim, and questioned Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar’s commitment on tackling air pollution. Hours later, P K Misra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, held a meeting with chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab through video conferencing to review the situation. Read more
Over the past week, at least three infants a day have been brought to the emergency ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) with persistent cough and breathlessness. Roughly 10% require admission; almost all of them are sent home with a nebuliser. At the moment, the hospital’s paediatric ICU has four kids on inhalation therapy. The youngest is a 10-month-old boy. “Infants and children suffer more than adults. There has been a consistent rise in the use of inhalation therapies like nebulisers, metered dose inhalation and dry powder inhalation in the last five years. More and more children are prescribed inhalation therapy due to recurrent cough and respiratory symptoms,” said Dr Anil Sachdev, director of the paediatric intensive care at SGRH. Read more
The Haryana government on Sunday ordered the closure of all schools in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts on November 4 and 5 amid the smog enveloping major parts of the national capital region. The schools in Gurgaon and Faridabad districts will stay shut on November 4 and 5 owing to the air pollution in the two districts, a state government spokesperson said. Read more
Volunteers with signboards asking people to strictly follow the Odd-Even road rationing scheme seen on NH-24.
(Express Photos by Abhinav Saha)
Punjab is located in the north-west side of the country, while Haryana is located south and south-east of Punjab, and north-west of the national capital, which is located east of Haryana. According to experts, at this time of the year, winds in Punjab generally blow from the north to the western side and as per the wind pattern, Haryana and Delhi are getting winds from Punjab, which is on the north-west side. Experts in the MeT department also said that ‘surface winds’, which blow close to the Earth’s surface at 10-15 mts above surface level, are the most effective in carrying polluted air from one place to another. Read more
The Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting Sunday evening through video conferencing with states of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi to tackle the rising levels of air pollution in the city. The Centre has asked neighboring states to reduce fire incidents and dust levels due to adverse meteorological conditions. During the video-conference, Chief Secretaries of States provided details about the actions being taken by them to improve the situation. Read more
With the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme set to come back to Delhi from Monday, there have been some changes in the rules this time. From exemptions to the penalty amount, here is all you need to know.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday said that the Odd-Even scheme will provide a big relief from the deteriorating weather conditions and rising pollution levels in the city if followed strictly for 10 days.
'Share a car, reduce pollution': Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweets on the onset of Odd-Even scheme in the national capital
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stepped in to curb the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, on Sunday. After chairing a review meeting, a statement released by them said that the Cabinet Secretary will be monitoring the situation with these three states on a daily basis. Chief Secretaries of the states have also been asked to monitor the situation in various districts round the clock. Read more
Another driver was also fined near ITO in Delhi. The driver of the vehicle says, "I live in Noida, I had come for some work last night, I was not aware of the fact that odd-even scheme is coming into effect from today."
A layer of smog blankets the area around ITO. The AQI was recorded at 434 (severe) in ITO, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Delhi Police fines a driver for using an odd numbered vehicle near India Gate.
Air quality in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) continued to remain in the “severe” category” for the seventh consecutive day as odd-even scheme came into effect at 8 am today. The AAP government has rolled out the road rationing scheme for the third time since 2016. Follow our blog for all the latest updates on pollution and odd-even scheme.