Delhi's Air Quality Worsens Post-Monsoon

With the retreat of monsoon, Delhi's air quality has significantly deteriorated. Key areas report hazardous AQI levels, intensifying pollution woes. Calls for stringent action flood the Supreme Court, while the Court expresses dissatisfaction with existing measures. Nearby regions like Ghaziabad and Meerut also face rising pollution levels.

The retreating monsoon has led to a sharp increase in air pollution levels in Delhi, with the city recording an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 166. Such levels highlight the ongoing air quality challenges confronting the national capital.

Significant pollution was recorded in several areas, including Anand Vihar with an AQI of 231, Mundka at 273, Loni at 201, and the Delhi Institute of Tool Engineering at 243. These figures are classified as unhealthy and dangerous. The current PM2.5 concentration is alarmingly 5.5 times above the World Health Organization's recommended 24-hour guidelines.

Pollution concerns extend beyond Delhi, with Ghaziabad recording an AQI of 171, and both Meerut and Noida registering 184. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader, Daljit Singh Cheema, urged the Supreme Court to act against Punjab and Haryana following the Court's criticism of the states over air pollution issues.

Cheema emphasized the need for the Supreme Court to pressure state governments into taking action instead of solely blaming farmers, calling for adequate facilities for agricultural communities.

The Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) failure to enforce pollution directives, noting no prosecutions and citing a lack of recent meetings. Orders were issued for Punjab and Haryana to adhere to CAQM guidelines, with the case set for an October 16 hearing.

(With inputs from agencies.)