By Administrator_ India
Pollution levels in Delhi dipped slightly on Monday but the air quality stayed in the ‘poor’ category, with government agencies saying the AQI was likely to slip to ‘very poor’ in the next few days due to a change in wind direction and a reduction in speed.
The city recorded a 24-hour average air quality index of 244. It was 254 on Sunday, 287 on Saturday, 239 on Friday and 315 on Thursday, the worst since February 12 (AQI 320).
An AQI between zero 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’.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor, SAFAR, said the AQI was likely to slip to ‘very poor’ category by Wednesday due to a change in wind direction and a reduction in the wind speed.
Expecting further deterioration in air quality in the coming days, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to be ready to close thermal power plants that do not meet the standards laid down in 2015.
In two separate letters, EPCA chief Bhure Lal asked the two states to review preparedness for closing thermal power plants and to inform the authority of this as well as steps that will be taken to ensure compliance with necessary shut-down during the peak winter period.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to hold monthly meetings with the tghe CMs of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to curb air pollution, saying there is a lack of political will at the level of the states to address the problem of stubble burning.
In a virtual press briefing, he said the affected states have been unable to find a solution to stop stubble burning and prevent air pollution.
