PTI, NEW DELHI: Delhi breathed relatively easy as air quality remained outside the ‘severe plus’ category for the third day straight, prompting authorities to withdraw the ban on entry of trucks and restore parking fees to usual rates.
The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority lifted the ban on construction activities as well but Lt Governor Anil Baijal kept it in abeyance as the matter was pending with the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT, which had separately issued an order banningentry of trucks (except those carrying essential commodities), has posted the matter for hearing tomorrow. The transport department issued a notification lifting the ban following the LG’s nod, thereby allowing thousands of trucks, which were stuck at the entry points, to enter the city.
SAFAR (System of Air Quality And Weather Forecasting And Research) has forecast that air quality may dip over the weekend due to incursion of moisture and fall in inversion layer which will keep pollutants trapped near the surface. The air quality index (AQI), at 363, was in the ‘very poor’ zone. The volume (24-hour rolling average) of ultrafine particulates PM2.5 and PM10 were 184 and 299 micrograms per cubic metre respectively.
The civic bodies and the Delhi Metro restored the quadrupled parking rates to normal with immediate effect. The EPCA separately wrote to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana informing them that hot mix plants can now be allowed to operate. However, measures enforced under the GRAP’s ‘severe’ category including the closure of the Badarpur thermal power plant, ban on brick kilns, and stone crushers will remain in force.
