Buses arriving from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana...": Minister Gopal Rai explains why pollution in Delhi is rising

 Buses arriving from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana...": Minister Gopal Rai explains why pollution in Delhi is rising

According to SAFAR statistics as of 1:00 pm on October 29, National Capital New Delhi's overall air quality dropped to the "very poor" category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 322. According to SAFAR statistics, Delhi's overall air quality on Sunday morning was in the "very poor" category, with an AQI of around 309 at 8:00 am.

North India's pollution levels have risen, according to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai in an interview with ANI. 

See our coverage of the AQI LIVE here.

The pollution levels of PM2.5 and PM10 are rising and falling, respectively, in Delhi and across North India. In Delhi, every bus is a CNG vehicle. However, the buses that go from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other nearby regions run on diesel, which is contributing to the rise in pollution," he informed the agency.

Nearing a Resolution?

Regarding the actions being taken, the minister said that as of November 1, only buses that run on CNG, electricity, or BS-VI would be allowed, following a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). 

"We learned that there are diesel buses here after speaking with local authorities and drivers today. Beginning on November 1, the transportation department will inspect various ports of entry," he said.

"Pollution in the surrounding areas causes suffering for people living in Delhi." We want the federal government, as well as the governments of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, to outlaw diesel buses in the National Capital Region," he said.

Different cities

The average AQI was higher than 326 in Noida at 1 pm today; it was 344 at Delhi Airport (T3), 354 at Delhi University, and 350 in Dhirpur.

Mumbai's air quality index was 139, falling into the "moderate" range. SAFAR reported that the AQI in Andheri was 104, 165 in Malad, and 139 in Malad. 

Describe SAFAR.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) launched the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), a nationwide program to gauge the general pollution level and site-specific air quality of a metropolis.

According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), a reading of 0 to 50 indicates "good" air quality, 51 to 100 "satisfactory" air quality, 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor", and 401 to 450 "severe."