NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality remained “severe” for the second day on the trot on Wednesday amid slow wind speed and lowering temperature, prompting the CPCB to order closure of hot mix plants and stone crushers till January 2.
No major improvement is predicted till December 26, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the India Meteorological Department’s regional forecasting centre. The city’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 433. It was 418 on Tuesday, 332 on Monday, 321 on Sunday and 290 on Saturday.
Air pollution in the neighbouring cities of Faridabad (428), Ghaziabad (472), Greater Noida (476) and Noida (462) also remained in the “severe” zone. With the air quality persisting in the “severe” zone, the CPCB directed that hot mix plants and stone crushers will remain closed “all the time” till January 2.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has decided to provide hot water at night shelters. Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday visited the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) night shelter at ISBT, Dandi Park, to review the provision of amenities and gave the directions.