The NGT said the odd-even car rationing system would have to be implemented every time the pollution hovered i... Read More

NEW DELHI: The city’s air quality deteriorated on Sunday after a sharp rise in pollutant levels. Both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels, measured at 480 and 712 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively, were back at the “emergency” threshold of the Graded Response Action Plan.

The NGT, in its order on Saturday , said the odd-even car rationing system would have to be implemented every time the pollution hovered in the “emergency” category for a straight 48 hours. However, the government is first expected to file a review petition in the tribunal on Monday asking the green court to take a re-look at exemptions for both women and two-wheelers.

The government said city schools would re-open from Monday, but the All India Parents’ Association advised parents not to send their wards to schools till Wednesday.

Odd-even rollout – All you need to know

The overall air quality remained “severe” with the AQI rising to 460 from 403 on Saturday. It is not expected to improve till Monday afternoon, following which pollution levels are expected to drop. However, the air quality is still likely to be around the “severe” range.

The PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels recorded at the CPCB’s central control room at 2pm on Sunday are way above the “emergency” threshold of 300 and 500 micrograms per cubic metre respectively under the GRAP in which measures like odd-even and stopping of construction activity need to be taken if the air quality remains in the same level same for 48 hours. By 7 pm, Delhi had already crossed nearly 30 hours of “emergency” air quality.

Experts had earlier forecast a drop in levels from Sunday onwards, but pollution levels rose once again from Saturday evening due fall in temperatures and a drop in the ‘boundary layer’, which traps pollutants and separates the surface atmosphere with the outer atmosphere.

Forecast from SAFAR shows levels PM2.5 drop to an average of 352 on Monday, further dropping to 245 by Tuesday evening. “We had forecast improvement of air quality from Sunday, but due to drop in temperature and the boundary layer coming down to 45 metres on Saturday evening, pollutants remained trapped to the ground and wind speed fell to 2km/hr as compared to 7 km/hr earlier on Saturday morning,” Gufran Beig, project director at SAFAR told TOI.

Dipankar Saha, head of CPCB’s air laboratory, confirmed improvement in air quality. However, he said levels would still be over the “emergency” mark.



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