Delhi chokes as air quality turns ‘severe’, Arvind Kejriwal launches ‘Green Delhi’ app

National

Arvind Kejriwal, Green Delhi App: The air in the national capital on Thursday further deteriorated with the rise of pollutants in the atmosphere. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 401 in Anand Vihar, 405 in Alipur, and 410 in Wazirpur, all three in the “severe” category as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data. The AQI stood at 376 in RK Puram, 384 in ITO, 311 in Lodhi Road, and 387 in Punjabi Bagh, all four in the “very poor” category as per DPCC data.

The national capital witnessed a thin layer of smog this morning, reducing visibility in various parts of the city. Amid the rise in pollution levels here, people are also experiencing problems with breathing. According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. Amid the rise in pollution levels, people are having problems with breathing and some children have started facing throat problems due to contaminated air.

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Recently, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted before the Delhi High Court that it has issued directions to implementing agencies including State Pollution Control Boards, construction agencies, municipal bodies, traffic police and transport department of Delhi and NCR for strict action against air polluting activities.

Amid rising air pollution in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday launched the “Green Delhi” app, which will enable people to register complaints about violation of anti-pollution norms.

“Today we are launching the Green Delhi app. Our aim is to involve each and every citizen in this initiative. This app can be installed from the Play Store. You can file any kind of complaint regarding pollution via this app. If you witness industrial pollution or industrial dust, you can upload its video, picture, or audio. Automatically the location will be sent to us,” said Kejriwal

“Particular department will receive the complaint and they will have to work in a time-bound manner. If the citizen is not satisfied with the solution, he or she can re-open that complaint,” he added.

Delhi Government has set up a green war room to monitor the status of the complaints that works round the clock, the Chief Minister stated. “70 green martial have been deployed. They will help in solving the complaints,” he added.

Delhi Chief Minister said that amid the rising air pollution here, the Delhi government along with the citizens is taking various steps to reduce the pollution. “We have taken initiatives in the last five years as well following which the pollution here has been reduced by 25 per cent. We are still taking steps like all the thermal power plants are all closed in Delhi. Fuel has been changed in 95 per cent of the industries in Delhi. Now they are using non polluting fuels,” said Kejriwal.

He said that Delhi has set an example by bringing up an initiative to decompose the stubble and making it compost by spraying a chemical. “The results are satisfactory. If this is successful, we will get a solution for stubble working by next year. We have also launched the Electronic Vehicle Policy,” he added.

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