Delhi air quality sees slight improvement as AQI settles at 299

Delhis air quality improved significantly on Thursday morning with the overall Air Quality Index AQI standing at 299 at 8 am according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB reported newss agency ANIFor comparison the city recorded an AQI of 342 at 4 pm on December 3 placing it in the very poor category According to CPCB the air quality in some parts of the National Capital improved and was classified in the poor category Najafgarh recorded an AQI of 286 while IGI Airport T3 reported 255 Sri Aurobindo Marg and North Campus registered AQI of 283 and 281 respectively reported ANIBut despite slight improvement several parts of the city remained shrouded in a dense layer of toxic smog Areas like Ghazipur and Akshardham reported thick haze early this morning with visibility remaining significantly reduced According to CPCB many areas in the National Capital fell into the very poor categoryThe area around Anand Vihar was blanketed in a dense layer of toxic smog with an AQI of 316 in the very poor category According to CPCB data Sonia Vihar recorded an AQI of 302 while Wazirpur recorded 323 The Air Quality Index in Patparganj was 309 reported ANIAccording to AQI categorisation 050 is good 51100 satisfactory 101200 moderate 201300 poor 301400 very poor and 401500 severeEarlier Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the use of antismog guns mechanised road sweepers and water sprinklers in Delhi Noida Ghaziabad Faridabad Gurgaon and Greater NoidaIn the meeting all states in northern India participated Following the meeting it was ordered that mechanised road sweepers antismog guns and water sprinklers should be operated in Noida Faridabad Gurgaon Ghaziabad and Greater Noida It was also decided that the potholes will be identified and repaired within 72 hours he saidSirsa stressed that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has stated that no government or private agency that violates the antipollution measures will be sparedDelhi CM has stated that no agency be it the government or private will be spared if found violating antipollution measures and rules Construction and demolition sites should be properly fenced and water sprinklers should be used to mitigate dust MCD has been ordered that all its 8000 km of roads should be potholefree and dustfree he said after the meetingFurthermore he outlined the installation of tube wells and water pipelines by the PWD department He informed that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been allowed to purchase at least 100 new mechanised road sweepersDelhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa met with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to discuss environmental initiatives They agreed to prioritise largescale tree plantation with public involvement focusing on parks and roadside areas in the Delhi NCR regionWith inputs from ANI