SC slams Delhi govt for 'lapse' in action plan to curb pollution

Delhi's air pollution levels remained alarming on Monday, with the capital's 24-hour average AQI reading soaring to 349 from 318 the previous day, even as the Supreme Court slammed the city government and police for a "serious lapse" in implementing GRAP curbs.

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The apex court, however, asked the central pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes in the schools and colleges of Delhi-NCR, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the wherewithal to attend virtual classes.

According to the SAMEER app, which offers hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index, the AQI was recorded at 218 at 9 am, but it rose to 377 at 7 pm, thanks to a low wind speed. Seven of the 38 air quality-monitoring stations in Delhi reported AQI levels in the "severe" category at 5:30 pm, with the number rising to 14 at 7 pm.

The latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said Delhi's 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm, stood at 349.

Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist, said the AQI has risen due to a combination of stagnant winds that have a speed of less than 10 kilometres per hour and dropping temperatures that trap pollutants close to the ground.