Delhi Air Pollution Latest News: Keeping in mind the rising air pollution level in the national capital, the Delhi government on Monday imposed a complete ban on the manufacturing activities in any new industrial area in Delhi and allowed only hi-tech and service industries to carry our activities.
“Centre has approved Delhi government’s proposal over new industrial areas and issued notification; this will be a historic step. No manufacturing industry will be allowed in new industrial areas of Delhi, only service, hi-tech industries will be allowed there. Manufacturing units, which cause pollution, will be given the option to shift to service or hi-tech industry,” he said.
The development comes after the air quality in the national capital plunged to ‘very poor’ category on Sunday due to an unusually high number of farm fires. The national capital on Sunday recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 366 at 8:30 AM. The 24-hour average AQI was 367 on Saturday, 374 on Friday, 395 on Thursday, 297 on Wednesday, 312 on Tuesday, and 353 on Monday.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitoring agency SAFAR on Sunday said that stubble burning has peaked in the states neighbouring Delhi and its share in the pollution level in the national capital rose to 40 per cent.
“Stubble burning share in PM 2.5 has increased and is estimated at 40 per cent for today, the highest of the season,” said the SAFAR, adding 3,216 farm fires were spotted over Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Saturday.
The agency said that better ventilation condition is forecasted for the next two days.
In 2019, according to SAFAR data the stubble burning’s contribution to Delhi’s pollution had peaked to 44 per cent on November 1.
To tackle the persistent problem of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Centre has introduced a new law through an ordinance which comes into force with immediate effect.
Violation of the provisions entails a punishment of a jail term up to five years or with fine up to Rs one crore or with both, the ordinance released by the Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday said.
“The ordinance may be called the Commission for Air Quality Management In National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020. It shall apply to national capital region and also adjoining areas in so far as it relates to matters concerning air pollution in the NCR. It shall come into force at once,” it said.