Delhi's Air Quality Sees Slight Improvement, Concerns Persist

Delhi's air quality marginally improved Saturday, with SAFAR recording an AQI of 237, still in the 'Poor' category. Despite this, certain areas saw worsening conditions, and residents continue to face health issues. Government plans include drone monitoring and tackling hotspots, but stubble burning remains a challenge.

Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement on Saturday compared to the previous day, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The Air Quality Index (AQI) was 237, still classified as 'Poor'. Many parts of the city remained shrouded in smog.

Friday's AQI was 283, but on Saturday, the index read 265 in ITI Jahangirpuri and 237 around India Gate, also in the 'Poor' category. The AQI at India Gate had shown some improvement from 276 on Friday.

However, conditions worsened at Anand Vihar, with the AQI spiking to 367 by 8 am Saturday, up from 218 the previous day. With pollution levels soaring, residents voiced concerns over health impacts.

Local resident Kalyani Twiari complained of headaches and breathing difficulties, urging government intervention, especially with upcoming festivities. Rakesh Kumar echoed these sentiments, worrying about post-Diwali pollution levels.

Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai stated that the government will utilize drones to monitor pollution hotspots, as part of a broader plan to tackle winter pollution. He inspected the Wazirpur industrial area, one of the 13 identified hotspots.

Rai emphasized various strategies under the winter action plan, including addressing vehicle pollution and biomass burning. Despite efforts, instances of stubble burning continued in Haryana and Punjab, notably in Kaithal district and along Karnal-Jind road, drawing criticism from the Supreme Court for inadequate state action.

(With inputs from agencies.)