Delhi’s air quality to deteriorate, 24×7 ‘Green War Room’ launched to combat pollution – India News

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a decline in air quality in Delhi from October 1 to 3, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) expected to range between 150 and 230, categorised as ‘poor’. This follows a brief improvement last week when the AQI dropped to 104, indicating moderate air quality.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the launch of a 24×7 ‘Green War Room’ aimed at monitoring air pollution in the capital. The war room consists of an 8-member team of environmental engineers and experts tasked with tackling air quality issues.

As of now, the AQI in New Delhi stands at 147, with PM2.5 levels surpassing the World Health Organization’s recommended limits for 24-hour exposure. The deterioration of air quality is attributed to various factors, with a historical trend of worsening conditions as late October approaches and winter sets in.

Despite the current decline, IMD predicts that air quality may improve next week, with the AQI expected to drop to 171, falling back into the moderate category.

Rai outlined seven key tasks for the war room, including analysing NASA satellite data on stubble burning, conducting drone mapping, and monitoring AQI through 24-hour stations. The team will also handle complaints via the Green Delhi App and ensure inter-departmental coordination.

In contrast, cities like Mumbai and Pune, which experienced significant rainfall last week, currently boast excellent air quality, with AQIs recorded at 51 and 38, respectively. Lucknow and Hyderabad also fall under the ‘good’ category, with AQIs of 51 and 52. Meanwhile, Kolkata’s AQI stands at 58, while Bengaluru and Patna are classified as ‘moderate’ with AQIs of 60 and 73, respectively.

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