Delhi air pollution: Govt forms Special Task Force as AQI turns ’very poor’

Amid the rising air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government has formed a Special Task Force (STF) to enforce regulations and assist in monitoring pollution, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday.

The six-member STF will perform other functions like coordinating with different departments and compiling reports to tackle poor AQI.

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Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 386 on Thursday. The Delhi minister said that the current scenario of air pollution in the city is likely to remain the same for the next three days due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

" The current situation is such that for 2-3 days the AQI is going to remain in the 'very poor' category only because as per the prediction for tomorrow, the wind speed...will remain low...till wind speed increases, the AQI will stay in 'very poor' category," Rai told ANI.

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Keeping in view of the current situation of air pollution, Gopal Rai announced the formation of STF to ensure a stricter implementation of GRAP-4 on the ground. The six-member Special Task Force will work under the leadership of Special Secretary Environment.

The decision to form an STF was made after the Delhi minister held a review meeting with the environment department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) officials at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday.

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Delhi's air pollution has become a major cause of concern for the government as it poses major health threats to people, especially the kids and elderly.

Earlier in the day, Delhi LG VK Saxena criticised the Delhi government for the rising air pollution in the city. In one of his posts on X, Delhi LG targeted the AAP government and said ‘politics can wait’. He also criticised the government for spending money on advertising campaigns like ‘odd-even’ which has not been fruitful.

"We can do little to stop crop residue smoke from other States, apart from pleading with them. Despite States, especially Punjab playing truant, we are, but petitioners for mercy. AQI yet hovers around 400, making the Capital gasp," the LG wrote.

On Thursday, Delhi, NCR region's air quality worsened to the ‘very poor’ category after its AQI stood at 386.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the air quality at 7 am in Bawan stood at 442. In RK Puram, it was 418; in Jahangirpuri, it was 441; in Dwarka, it was 416; in Alipur, it was 415; in Anand Vihar, it was at 412; in ITO, it was 412 and near the Delhi airport, the AQI was recorded at 401.