New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) Delhi-NCR’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Thursday, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 400, right on the threshold of the ‘severe’ category, and a thick blanket of toxic smog continued to hang over the region. Several pollution hotspots saw the AQI go over the 400 mark.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), stagnant winds and falling temperatures have trapped pollutants close to the surface, worsening air conditions across the national Capital and NCR.

Data from the CPCB-developed Sameer App showed Wazirpur recording the highest AQI at 477, placing it firmly in the ‘severe’ category. Lodhi Road reported the lowest AQI among 39 monitoring stations with a reading of 269, which still falls under the ‘poor’ category.

Several pollution hotspots, including Anand Vihar at 427, RK Puram at 424, Punjabi Bagh at 441, Mundka at 441, Jahangirpuri at 453, Burari Crossing at 410 and Bawana at 443, were among the 21 locations that slipped into the ‘severe’ zone, as per the CPCB data.

Other areas such as Aya Nagar at 369, IGI Airport T3 at 373, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 392, Mandir Marg at 375 and Pusa at 377 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality levels.

Neighbouring regions in the NCR also continued to choke under toxic air, with Ghaziabad topping the chart at an AQI of 422. Greater Noida and Noida followed closely with AQIs of 420 and 409, respectively, both categorised as ‘severe’.

In response to GRAP Stage 3 restrictions, several pollution-control steps have been activated, including a ban on construction activities, water spraying on major road stretches, and traffic-related curbs across Delhi-NCR.

Schools in the national Capital have shifted primary classes to hybrid mode as a precautionary measure amid the persistently dangerous air quality.

Recently, growing frustration over the deteriorating air quality sparked anti-pollution protests in Delhi. Social organisations, student groups, and locals took to the streets, urging authorities to intervene without delay and enforce stronger measures, even as the Supreme Court asked the Centre to come up with a long-term policy to curb air pollution.

–IANS

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