New Delhi: Residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to a cold and smoggy Christmas as pollution levels in Delhi remained ‘severe’. The Average Air Quality in the national capital was recorded at 416 with temperature settling at 7 degree Celsius in the morning. The city is facing its highest pollution level since Diwali.
The overall PM2.5 level (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) was recorded at 271 and the PM10 level at 422 here, the CPCB said.
Following reports of the pollution levels, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) issued a three-day ban on industries and construction work in hotspot industrial areas in the city.
Traffic police were also instructed to ensure congestion-free traffic flow in the high traffic corridors. Industries in Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad will remain closed as per the order.
The agencies affected by the ban have been asked to ensure strict action against illegal industries, intensify ground action and make all efforts to control polluting activities, particularly waste burning.
"The ventilation index which allows dispersion (of pollutants) is extremely poor and it is expected that these conditions will prevail for the next two days," EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev.
Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra said this is a "temporary phase" caused by unfavourable meteorological conditions and insisted that measures to tackle it were on in "full swing".
(With inputs from PTI)
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