Out of the 40 air quality monitoring stations recorded, 30 were in the 'very poor' category, with Bawana registering the poorest air quality of 376, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's Sameer app
Pic/PTI
The national capital's air quality saw some improvement on Wednesday morning, with an AQI of 328 as against 377 a day ago, even as smog blanketed the city.
The air quality in the city at 9 am was in the 'very poor' category.
Out of the 40 air quality monitoring stations recorded, 30 were in the 'very poor' category, with Bawana registering the poorest air quality of 376, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's Sameer app.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
Several parts of the city were seen covered in smog and fog during the early morning hours, leading to reduced visibility.
Delhi's minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius on Monday is 2.3 degrees above normal. The maximum temperature is expected to hover at 24 degrees Celsius.
The humidity was recorded at 100 per cent with IMD forecasting moderate fog for the day.
Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced strict measures to curb vehicular pollution in the national capital. The minister stated that starting December 18, vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) will not be supplied fuel at petrol pumps in Delhi, according to an official release.
Addressing the press conference, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "To control tailpipe emissions from vehicles, all petrol/diesel/CNG pump dealers have been instructed to provide fuel only upon presentation of a valid PUCC."
He further added, "For the protection of Delhi's air, all vehicles registered outside Delhi and of a category lower than BS-VI will not be allowed to enter Delhi when GRAP-III and GRAP-IV are implemented. No polluting vehicle will be allowed to enter Delhi."
He further stated that when GRAP-IV is in force, vehicles carrying any kind of construction material will also be barred from entering Delhi.
The Minister said that PUCC and vehicle categories will be verified through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and ground-level checks.
While announcing strict measures, he appealed to citizens to carry valid PUCC certificates to avoid inconvenience. Sirsa said the current government has implemented scientific, data-driven measures to control pollution.
He said, "In 8 out of the 11 months, better air quality has been recorded compared to the previous year. Even in a critical month like November, the average AQI remained approximately 20 points lower than last year. This is a result of daily stringent actions and structural reforms."
Addressing Delhi residents, Sirsa said pollution cannot be entirely eliminated in 9-10 months, but the direction and intent are clear, with daily efforts to reduce the AQI. He urged vehicle owners to obtain valid PUCC certificates and comply with the new rules, stating that the government remains committed to providing Delhi with clean air and a pollution-free future.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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