NEW DELHI: The biting cold wave that gripped Delhi for five days finally loosened its hold on Friday. However, residents found little relief as a thick, toxic blanket of smog continued to engulf the national capital. The Air Quality Index (AQI) soared into the hazardous 'Severe' category, painting a grim picture of the city's air pollution crisis.
Air Quality Plummets to Dangerous Levels
Visuals from the ITO area and other parts of Delhi showed the city shrouded in dense grey pollution. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in the area reached a alarming 402. This reading firmly places the air quality in the 'Severe' zone, posing serious health risks to the public.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) took decisive action on Friday. It declared Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the entire National Capital Region (NCR). This move serves as a preventive measure to stop further deterioration of air quality.
Stringent Restrictions Come into Force
The newly imposed restrictions under GRAP Stage-III aim to curb rising pollution levels. Calm winds and the accumulation of pollutants have created a dangerous situation. Key measures include an immediate ban on the plying of BS-IV diesel and BS-III petrol vehicles in Delhi and surrounding NCR districts.
"The forecasts for weather and meteorological conditions by IMD and IITM indicate a critical scenario," stated the CAQM. "Due to slow wind speed, a stable atmosphere, and unfavourable weather parameters, Delhi's average AQI is likely to breach the 400 mark and remain in the severe category in the coming days."
The commission has announced a detailed nine-point action plan. This plan includes:
- Restrictions on all construction and demolition activities.
- Curbs on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles in Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Exceptions exist for persons with disabilities.
- Restrictions on Delhi-registered diesel-operated medium goods vehicles, except those carrying essential commodities.
- Prohibition on the entry of BS-IV diesel-operated light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi.
Measures under the earlier Stages I and II of GRAP also remain fully in force.
Temperature Shift and Foggy Conditions
While the severe cold wave ended, temperatures on Friday still stayed below normal. The minimum temperature settled at 4.3 degrees Celsius, which is three notches below the seasonal average. Thursday had recorded a chilling 2.9 degrees Celsius, the lowest January temperature in three years.
The maximum temperature on Friday rose to 22.5 degrees Celsius, a noticeable increase from Thursday's 19.5 degrees. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog across the city. Minimum visibility dropped to 150 metres at Palam at 7:30 AM and at Safdarjung at 8:00 AM.
Flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport experienced only minor delays despite the poor visibility. The IMD has forecast maximum and minimum temperatures of 21-23 and 6-8 degrees Celsius for Saturday. It has also issued a yellow alert for dense fog in isolated areas of the region.
The average AQI at 4 PM on Friday was recorded at 354, showing an increase from 343 on Thursday. Authorities are urging residents to take precautions and limit outdoor exposure as the battle against the toxic smog continues.
