PTI, NEW DELHI: A thick haze engulfed Delhi as the air quality deteriorated on Tuesday, while the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), after the Supreme Court’s stern observations, asserted that the enforcement bodies have been asked to pull up their socks as their response to public complaints was found “grossly inadequate”.
These agencies have been again directed to join social media platforms to speedily address the grievances, the CPCB said while revealing details of an earlier meeting, a day after the Supreme Court asked it to prosecute government officials for not acting on around 250 complaints received from citizens.
Authorities, meanwhile, said using artificial rain to reduce pollution may not be possible in the near future due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and pending clearance to fly an aircraft for cloud seeding.
The overall air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded between 350-360, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category with four areas recording severe pollution level, according to CPCB data.
It is likely to remain in the same category with a gradual increase in pollution level for the next two days.
The CPCB said Ashok Vihar, Mundaka, Narela and Wazirpur recorded ‘severe’ air quality, while 22 areas of Delhi recorded ‘very poor’ air quality.
The level of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 211 and the PM10 level was recorded at 390, it said.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. In NCR, Ghaziabad recorded the worst air quality at the ‘severe’ level with an AQI of 407.
In NCR, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, the CPCB data said.
