NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality is expected to remain in the “severe” category over the next two days as the smoke emitted by fire crackers has slowed down the process of pollutant dispersion, a report by government-run agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, said on Thursday.
Air quality in the national capital reached the ‘severe plus emergency’ category on Thursday with the Air Quality Index touching 642 in a majority of areas a day after Diwali celebrations. However, the Delhi government claimed that their anti-cracker campaign and measures like creating awareness among schoolchildren helped in reducing the number of crackers burst.
As one of the measures under the Graded Action Plan formulated by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles in the city will not be allowed. The ban will continue till December 11 and only goods carrying essential items are exempted.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Diwali registered a total of 562 cases under IPC Section 188 (disobedience of order) and arrested 310 people for violating the Supreme Court’s order on bursting crackers in the designated time frame only.
A total of 87 people were also arrested and 72 cases registered in connection with illegal sale of crackers, the police added.Out of the 562 cases registered, six cases were in New Delhi district, 22 in southwest district, 37 in east district, 59 in northeast district, 47 in Shadara, 30 in central, eight in north, 48 in northwest, 58 in Rohini, 48 in south, 23 in southeast, 52 in west, 89 in outer Delhi and 35 in Dwarka district of Delhi. About 2,776 kgs of firecrackers from various parts of the city were seized.
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