SC-mandated EPCA declares Public Health emergency in Delhi-NCR

A Supreme Court-mandated panel on Friday declared a public health emergency in Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till vember 5. As pollution level in region entered "severe-plus" category, Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also banned bursting of crackers during winter season.

air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated furr Thursday night and is w at severe-plus level, EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. "We have to take this as a public health emergency as air pollution will have adverse health impact on all, particularly our children,"  he said in letter.

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Air quality in Delhi

blanket of haze over Delhi thickened on Friday morning with national capital's pollution levels increasing overnight by around 50 points, taking overall air quality index to 459. A Central Pollution Control Board official said AQI entered "severe-plus" or "emergency" category late Thursday night, first time since January this year. If air quality persists in "severe-plus" category for more than 48 hours, emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing scheme, banning entry of trucks, construction activities and shutting down schools are taken under Graded Response Action Plan, official said.

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At 8.30 am, capital's overall air quality index stood at 459. It was 410 at 8 pm on Thursday. All 37 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi recorded air quality in severe category on Friday morning. Bawana was most-polluted area with an AQI of 497, followed by Delhi Techlogical University (487), Wazirpur (485), Anand Vihar (484) and Vivek Vihar (482). Neighbouring Ghaziabad was most polluted city in country, with levels of PM2.5 -- tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 microns that can enter deep into lungs -- reaching as high as 493. Greater ida (480), ida (477), and Faridabad (432) also bread extremely polluted air. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus or emergency category. 

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