Delhi Lockdown: Govt to submit lockdown proposal to SC today

The city’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said his government will submit a lockdown proposal to the Supreme Court today to combat the air pollution further. Delhi recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 330 on Sunday as against 437 the previous day as emissions from farm fires in Haryana and Punjab dropped significantly.

The AQI was and 471 on Friday, the worst this season till now. The air quality index of neighbouring Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida was recorded at 331, 287, 321, 298 and 310, respectively. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The India Meteorological Department said visibility levels ranged from 1,500 to 2,200 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and from 1,000 to 1,500 metres at the Safdarjung Airport. The national capital’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the Delhi government will submit a proposal to the apex court tomorrow on clamping a lockdown and its modalities.

The SC had on Saturday termed the rise in pollution levels an “emergency situation” and suggested clamping a lockdown in the national capital. The AAP-led Delhi government has already announced the closure of physical classes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions, except those where exams are being conducted, for a week from Monday.

All government offices, agencies and autonomous bodies, except those involved in essential services, have been directed to ask employees to work from home. No construction and demolition activity is allowed in the capital till November 17. The state governments and district administrations in the National Capital Region have also been suggested to issue a ‘citizen charter/advisory’ for the public on steps that need to be taken during various stages of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has asked Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to consider implementing similar restrictions to contain spiralling air pollution levels. Meanwhile, the Haryana government today announced various measures including closure of all schools, work from home for employees and ban on all types of construction in four districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat and Jhajjar till November 17.

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