Delhi Pollution: PWD vehicles sprinkle water in parts of National Capital

NEW DELHI: New Delhi [India], October 22: As Delhi's Air quality deteriorates at alarming levels, the Delhi government are taking the necessary steps to control the air pollution in the national capital.

PWD vehicles sprinkled water in parts of the city to reduce dust pollution.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked the Stage-II GRAP Action Plan across Delhi-NCR from Tuesday morning.

The GRAP Action Plan includes carrying out mechanical and vacuum sweeping, along with water sprinkling of the identified roads on a daily basis.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said five new intitatives have been been introduced in GRAP-II to combat pollution "Now that AQI has crossed 300, GRAP-II rules have been implemented in the entire North India from today... 5 new initiatives have been introduced in GRAP-II... Diesel generators will be regulated.

The frequency of metros and buses will be increased.

Parking costs will be increased so that people don't use their cars for commute.

The aim is to further reduce dust and vehicular pollution... We have called a meeting of all senior officials to deliberate on how to better implement the GRAP-II rules in Delhi NCR," he said.

Delhi woke up to a 'very poor' air quality on Tuesday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 385 recorded around 8 AM, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

With air quality worsening, the BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari slammed the former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party government. BJP spokesperson said, "The pollution in Delhi has reached a life-threatening level. As you can see, my health has deteriorated a bit due to the pollution. Today, you can't walk around Delhi without a mask".

Saif, a Kartavya Path visitor, said, "Everyone faces difficulty in breathing during these months, especially in October, November, and December.The government is taking the right steps to curb pollution The situation in Delhi is such that if the right steps are not taken on time, it could cause a lot of trouble in the future."

The CPCB had classified the city's air as 'very poor,' and warned of possible health impacts for the residents with respiratory conditions.

The pollution levels are expected to remain high if weather conditions remain unfavourable. A thick layer of fog was observed in areas like Anand Vihar, Kalkaji, Nehru Place, and Akshardham Temple as Delhi's air quality continues to deteriorate. Smog also engulfed the Ghazipur area, further reducing the visibility.