"Delhi AQI improved slightly": says Gopal Rai; will chair meeting on work-from-home measure today

NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on Wednesday that the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) has shown slight improvement over the past two days, and reassured that the government is taking active steps to further reduce pollution levels in the national capital.

Gopal Rai said that he is scheduled to chair a meeting here at the secretariat in view of the implementation of the measure wherein 50 per cent government employees will switch to work-from-home mode to tackle pollution in Delhi. Speaking to ANI, Rai said, "If we compare the last 2 days, a slight decline is being recorded in the AQI of Delhi and we hope that further improvement will be seen.

Our effort is to reduce the level of pollution in Delhi as much as possible, for which the government is taking many steps. It has been decided to work 50 per cent from home apart from the departments of the Delhi government which provide essential services."

"We have called a meeting and we will discuss how to implement it in detail so that essential services are not affected and people get some relief from pollution," said Rai. Taking to his official handle on X, Gopal Rai posted, "To reduce pollution, Delhi government decided to work from home in government offices. 50 per cent employees will work from home."

The air quality in the national capital deteriorated back into 'severe' category on Wednesday morning as a thin blanket of smog covered parts of the city, reducing visibility and the quality of air touching a low level of air quality index (AQI). The air quality index had been reeling under the 'severe plus' category for the past two consecutive days. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) at 424 as of 9 am today, placing it in the 'severe' category.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gopal Rai wrote to Union Environment Minister Minister Bhupendra Yadav requesting to immediately convene an emergency meeting with Delhi Government, IIT Kanpur and all other central Government Departments like DGCA, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Defence etc. involved in issuing clearance to conduct cloud seeding in Delhi, as an emergency measure.

Gopal Rai said, "Time has come to carry out artificial rainfall to break the layer of smog. The Government of Delhi with the help of IIT Kanpur has last year explored cloud seeding as an emergency measure to artificially induce rain and reduce air pollution during such critical periods. This year we started preparations in August to carry out cloud seeding. Despite several requests meeting was not held earlier."

He said that till the layer of smog is not broken the pollution cannot be mitigated.Rai said, "We are continuously working. We have banned BS-III petrol four wheelers, BS-IV diesel vehicles. All trucks, diesel buses coming from outside have been banned. Schools have been closed for 10th and 12th as well. Thirdly, timings have been staggered for offices. About work from home, we are also working on that.

A decision will be taken soon. We will also implement that. We are working on all the things that are in our hands and we will continue to do so. The layer of smog has to be broken." He sought an emergency meeting with the Union Environment Minister. "We are trying to reduce the layer of smog. We are seeking an emergency meeting with the Union Environment Minister so that we can take all actions on the ground.

We are also discussing odd-even but now experts are saying that we have imposed so many restrictions, people are now considering how much of an impact it will have," he added. The capital's air quality index (AQI) has remained in the "severe" category for days, with PM2.5 concentrations surging past 400 mg/m3 -- far beyond the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limit of 15 mg/m3 for 24-hour exposure.

In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) activated Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), imposing restrictions like bans on truck entry and a halt to public construction projects. (ANI)