Air quality improves slightly but construction ban, other restrictions to stay

Air quality in the city improved slightly on Monday, with the air quality index (AQI), as recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), remaining at 288, in the poor category, which is an improvement from the 318 or “very poor” recorded on Sunday

Air quality in the city improved slightly on Monday, with the air quality index (AQI), as recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), remaining at 288, in the poor category, which is an improvement from the 318 or “very poor” recorded on Sunday.

Gurugram, India-December -5: Commuters are seen wearing warm cloth at Kadipur road amid cold and smoggy weather, in Gurugram, India, on Monday, 05 December 2022. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Abhishek Bhel's Story)

Despite the improvement in air quality, the pollution control department said restrictions under stage three of the graded response action plan (Grap) will remain enforced in the city as per the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and there will be a complete ban on construction and demolition apart from other measures announced by the commission.

The CAQM on Sunday had enforced stage three of Grap in National Capital Region (NCR) after observing that the AQI in Delhi, taken as representative of NCR, has slipped into severe category owing to calm wind and stable atmospheric conditions.

According to CAQM directions, all kinds of earth moving work, structural construction work, demolitions, transfer of raw materials, operation of batching plants, hot mix plants, digging of drains, cutting and fixing of tiles, along with similar activities which cause dust pollution are banned until further notice.

Only non-dust-producing activities such as plumbing, wiring, carpentry and interior decoration are allowed at construction sites, the order issued by CAQM said.

Sandeep Singh, regional officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board said stage three of Grap remains enforced in Gurugram and all NCR districts on CAQM directions. “We are keeping a close watch on the construction sites and industries to ensure that directions issued under Grap-3 are not violated. All construction and demolition activities are banned, barring exceptions, until further orders,” said Singh.

Earlier on Sunday, the city witnessed slight fog and smog throughout the day with air quality remaining in “very poor” category due to calm wind and dip in temperature. The AQI on Sunday was 318 with early morning fog reducing visibility. The AQI on Saturday was 300, as per the CPCB.

The maximum temperature on Monday was recorded at 23.8 degrees Celsius, while the minimum was 9.8 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, the minimum temperature was 10.6 degrees Celsius and the minimum was 24.1 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar) in its forecast on Monday said as minimum temperature is dropping gradually, fog during early morning hours is likely to increase leading to deterioration of AQI.

During afternoons, AQI is mainly determined by local winds, maximum temperature/humidity and mixing layer height. AQI is likely to improve but remain within “very poor” category for the next three days due to moderate wind speed offsetting the effect of inversion/stable conditions that reduces dispersion of pollutants, it said.