Delhi, Mumbai Grapple With Air Quality Crisis, Supreme Court Takes Action

As winter settles in, the national capital of Delhi finds itself shrouded in a thick blanket of hazardous air pollution, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) consistently hovering above 400. This situation has prompted the Supreme Court to take action, directing the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to prevent stubble burning. The Supreme Court's intervention comes as a response to the alarming levels of air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

On Wednesday, November 8, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an overall AQI of 421 for Delhi at 7 am. Multiple areas in the city, including Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, RK Puram, and ITO, recorded AQI levels well above 400, categorizing them as 'severe.' This persistent air quality crisis has caused the city to be enveloped in dense and hazy smog, resulting in near-zero visibility in some areas, as witnessed in Dhaula Kuan.

The situation is not limited to Delhi alone; the Delhi-Gurugram Highway has also been experiencing severe air pollution, posing a significant health risk to residents and commuters.

In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Supreme Court has directed the state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to take immediate measures to prevent stubble burning. The court emphasized the need to protect citizens from the harmful effects of air pollution and questioned the effectiveness of Delhi's previous odd-even scheme, which was implemented to address similar crises.

The Delhi government has been actively implementing measures to combat air pollution, such as water spraying and the use of dust suppressant powder in heavily polluted areas. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has deployed over 1,100 officers in 517 surveillance teams to enforce a ban on construction and demolition activities across the city.

In neighbouring regions like Noida and Ghaziabad, authorities have suspended physical classes in schools to safeguard the health of students.

Meanwhile, Mumbai has been facing air quality challenges, though the situation remains in the 'moderate' category. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)-India data, the city's overall AQI stood at 149 on November 8. However, a visual assessment by news agency ANI revealed that the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) area experienced a drop in AQI, reaching the 'Very Poor' category.

To address the rising pollution levels, a hospital in Parel, Mumbai, has established a dedicated Intensive Respiratory Care Unit to treat patients with respiratory issues.

The Bombay High Court has also stepped in to mitigate the air quality crisis. It has halted all construction work in the city and restricted the bursting of firecrackers until Diwali day. The court's directive allows residents to burst firecrackers only between 7 pm and 10 pm and applies to the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The court has additionally imposed restrictions on the movement of vehicles carrying construction material.

The state government of Maharashtra has issued guidelines for municipal bodies to take urgent action to control air pollution by Friday, November 10. These measures were prompted by the High Court's orders to address the worsening air pollution situation in Mumbai and its surrounding areas.

As Delhi and Mumbai grapple with their respective air quality crises, the actions taken by both the Supreme Court and local authorities are crucial steps in addressing the immediate health concerns and ensuring cleaner air for their residents.