Delhi Govt Appeals People To WFH, Use Car Pool, Report Construction Work Amid Alarming AQI

Delhi’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 424 at 4 pm on Tuesday, the worst after December 26 last year when it was 459.

Delhi Air Pollution: The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi has appealed to people to work from home and suggested the use of shared transport to reduce vehicular pollution amid rising air pollution in the national capital. On Wednesday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital stood at 376 at 9 am and remained in ‘very poor’ category.

He also urged national capital residents to report instances of construction work and stop use of coal and wood and provide electric heaters to security guards. “I appeal to people if possible work from home and avoid taking out private vehicles. 50 per cent of the pollution is from vehicles. People shouldn’t burst crackers,” Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said.

Delhi’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 424 at 4 pm on Tuesday, the worst after December 26 last year when it was 459.

Rai also said the BJP should stop abusing farmers for stubble burning, alleging the party hates farmers because of their anti-farm law protests. “Farmers are forced to burn stubble in Punjab because the BJP-led Centre did not support the state government’s plan to provide a cash incentive to them for not burning the crop residue,” Rai said.

With pollution levels worsening, the Centre’s air quality panel had on Saturday directed authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except in essential projects, and other curbs under stage three of the Graded Response Action plan (GRAP).

The restrictions on construction and demolition activities will not be applicable on essential projects concerning national security, defence, railways and metro rail among others. Mining activities will also not be allowed in the region.