India is the most polluted country in the world, with more than 480 million people or about 40 per cent of its population living in the Indo-Gangetic plains in the north where pollution levels regularly exceed those found anywhere else in the world by an order of magnitude, stated the University of Chicago's Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has issued detailed instructions to ensure the effective implementation of the ban.
Nitin Gadkari said AI will be used to detect landslides, waterlogging and accident-prone spots on highways, while highlighting logistics cost cuts and road safety initiatives
Bagga said that Kejriwal is on political tourism to the poll-bound states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh while the "people of Delhi are dying".
The national capital was in the grip of a cold wave, with the sun largely obscured by clouds and pollutants lingering in the atmosphere, leading to reduced visibility. At least 129 flights were cancelled at the Delhi airport on Saturday due to dense fog, according to an official.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre and the states in the National Capital Region (NCR) to implement the orders of the panel on air quality management to curb air pollution while ruing that some sections of the media have 'portrayed' it as a 'villain' which wants to close down schools in New Delhi.
The pollution board said that the situation will improve further by Sunday if favourable conditions prevail.
Buildings were decorated with colourful lights and earthen lamps dotted houses as people across the country thronged temples and celebrated Diwali with pomp on Monday.
The alarming pollution level is literally 'capital punishment' for Delhi'ites who are being robbed of three years of their lives due to it, Delhi High Court said on Thursday, holding government's inaction and stubble burning in Punjab as being responsible for the "genocide".
General insurance companies are likely to see a surge in demand for health insurance in the coming months due to falling air quality in the country. The health insurance segment has registered a strong growth after the pandemic due to higher awareness. In the first half of financial year 2023-24, the segment grew by 24.4 per cent to Rs 54,713.52 crore from Rs 43,981.54 crore in H1FY23, driving growth of the non-life insurance industry.
The Delhi government's odd-even car rationing scheme to curb air pollution on Tuesday came under scrutiny by the Supreme Court which questioned its effectiveness and termed it "all optics".
Glimpses from Agra, New Delhi, Gurugram, Kolkata and Mumbai.
'I think pollution levels have been rising in Delhi for the past 10-12 days. We can feel it in our eyes today. The smog is dense'
NEERI studies show vehicles cause lowest emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
The Delhi government has requested the Centre's air quality panel to suspend the fuel ban on older vehicles, citing implementation challenges and public discontent. The government is also seeking solutions to restrictions on end-of-life vehicles.
New Delhi, which was worst polluted city has improved its position to ninth rank.
The dip in the air quality can be attributed to low wind speed and temperatures which allowed accumulation of pollutants.
Delhiites continued to breathe toxic air on Tuesday as the air quality edged closer to the severe zone in some areas.
Pollution is impacting the lifespan of Indians.
The green body's report said three of the world's largest nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots that contribute to formation of PM2.5 and ozone are in India with one in the Delhi-NCR.
Experts said unfavourable meteorological conditions -- calm winds and low temperatures -- and smoke from farm fires in neighbouring states led to a dense layer of haze as the air quality index entered the "severe" zone.
Delhi's crime rate against women stood at 144.4 in 2022 -- the highest among all states and Union Territories.
In a statement, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the air pollution had reached the severe level and asked people to follow the dos and don'ts as mentioned in the advisory.
With Delhi recording air pollution levels seven to eight times above safe standards on Monday, the city government announced the return of its flagship odd-even scheme after four years anticipating further deterioration of air quality post-Diwali.
The International Cricket Council is likely to incorporate air pollution in its 'Playing Conditions' clause, having taken a serious note of the plight of Sri Lankan cricketers during the recently-concluded Test match against India in New Delhi.
According to the report by Swiss firm IQAir released on Tuesday, India's annual average PM2.5 level in 2022 was 53.3 g/m3, slightly lower than the 2021 average of 58.1.
'10 million Indians are currently living with dementia, and the number is expected to double by 2036.'
Delhi recorded an air quality index of 315 at 11:10 am. The last time the air quality hit such a poor level was in February.
Sonia Gandhi criticizes the Modi government's environmental policies, claiming they endanger the Aravalli hills and disregard environmental protection.
No improvement in the air quality in Delhi-NCR is expected for another three days, authorities said on Monday, as the Supreme Court directed the Centre to call an emergency meeting to decide on measures like stopping non-essential constructions, transport and power plants by Tuesday evening.
The minister said the government will soon come out with air pollution data of major cities.
Stating that 'we cannot...infuse creativity in your bureaucracy', the apex court warned it will have to do something extraordinary if the authorities failed to control pollution.
Rediff Labs has analysed Delhi region's air quality through its product real-time air quality analyser
The counties and metro areas with the nation's poorest air quality.
With seasonal crop residue burning, coupled with vehicle emissions, calm winds and low temperatures persisting for some time, the thick layer of toxic smog has hovered over the national capital.
While Delhi was set to host the opening Test against South Africa from November 14-18, it will now host the second Test against West Indies starting October 10.
India is, indeed, particularly vulnerable to this menace.
Officials at the India Meteorological Department said winds gusting up to 20 kmph on Sunday and 25 kmph on Monday led to a marked improvement in the air quality and improved visibility.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department.
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