Pollution havoc in Delhi; AQI reaches 367 and traffic woes escalate

Air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region is becoming continuously severe, causing immense hardship to residents. According to a report by Business Standard, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi has reached 367, and several areas of the city are in the 'very poor' pollution zones. PM2.5 and PM10 have been noted as the primary pollutants. As per CPCB, the AQI around India Gate has reached 399, falling into the 'very poor' category.

The implementation of BS-VI vehicle norms to control pollution has led to significant traffic problems at the Delhi borders. According to ground reports by NDTV, kilometre-long jams have been observed at the Chilla and Ghazipur borders. Traffic police are stopping vehicles that do not comply with BS-VI standards and are turning back non-compliant vehicles. Consequently, commuters are being forced to remain stranded with their vehicles for hours.

This situation has triggered anger among commuters. As per an NDTV report, commuters stated that these regulations are doubling their travel time, which in turn increases fuel consumption and leads to higher emissions. A commuter named Avakashi at the Ghazipur border stated that it usually takes 41 minutes to reach the office, but today it is taking 1 hour and 20 minutes. He questioned how these rules would be helpful in the long run if vehicles remain stuck in traffic. Prabhajyot also mentioned that traffic is already heavy during the festive season and frequent stopping of vehicles affects people's busy schedules. However, a commuter named Ashwini said that the results of such policies take time to manifest and they cannot be judged solely on two days of implementation.

On the other hand, the Gurugram administration has also taken strict measures to reduce pollution. According to a report by Sandesh (Desh), a ban has been imposed on construction and demolition activities in Gurugram from 5 November to 20 November. This ban will apply to various projects including roads, highways, flyovers, and pipelines, although essential infrastructure projects may receive exemptions subject to certain conditions. Additionally, instructions have been issued to government and private offices in Gurugram that only 50 per cent of employees can be present, while the remaining 50 per cent must work from home. Industrial units and essential services have been exempted from these rules.

Allegations of manipulation of pollution data in Delhi are also surfacing. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the BJP-run Delhi government of tampering with AQI data. AAP unit president Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged that water is being sprayed at monitoring stations in polluted areas like Jahangirpuri to make pollution levels appear lower. He has demanded legal action against Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and has filed a complaint with the CPCB. Bhardwaj stated that due to false data, people suffering from asthma and other ailments might step out with a false sense of security, which is hazardous to their health. AAP has also announced a social media campaign regarding this matter.

Amidst this pollution crisis in Delhi, according to an Aaj Tak report, air quality in 10 areas of Delhi is in the 'severe' category. As per CPCB data, Delhi's AQI was recorded at 379 on Wednesday.

AQI was an index used to measure the levels of pollutants in the atmosphere. It was used to understand the level of air quality, indicating the effects on health.