CAPITAL GASPS: Industrial activity banned for 3 days

With Delhi recording this winter's worst air quality, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) on Monday banned industrial activity in six hotspots and construction activities in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram till Wednesday. The air quality index (AQI) in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) was 448 or in 'severe' category on Monday owing to a cold wave in North India that has led to temperatures dipping as low as 3 degree Celsius. Delhi's sky engulfed in smog in the early hours of Monday and visibility at certain locations was as low as 200 metre.

Forecasts indicated that the pollution levels will begin declining from December 26 as winds are expected to pick up speed.

Central Pollution Control Board chairman SP Singh Parihar said that the ban was recommended to EPCA following a meeting of its task force on Monday. The ban on industrial activity will be in effect in six pollution hotspots – Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Faridabad, Wazirpur and Sahibabad. EPCA chairman Bhure Lal accepted CPCB task force recommendations and has issued orders to concerned authorities.

The EPCA order has also directed traffic police to deploy special teams and ensure congestion free traffic flow, particularly in identified high traffic corridors and ensure that non-destined heavy duty vehicles travel through eastern and western peripheral expressways.

The deterioration in air quality was largely due to the cold wave and associated meteorological conditions that have made dispersal of pollutants difficult. "Temperatures have dropped below five degrees and there is a lot of dew and moisture in the atmosphere. Surface wind speeds have come down and the mixing height or room available for vertical dispersion has come down as well. It is as low as 50m for a few hours and pollutants are stagnated," Parihar said.

CK Mishra, secretary, union environment ministry said that he had a conversation with Delhi chief secretary seeking intensification of on ground actions against open burning of biomass. "This is a temporary phase largely due to meteorological conditions. However, we have insisted that we must swing into full action. We are also focusing on Factory waste burning and open biomass burning," Mishra said.

The predominant winds are from Northwest direction of Delhi and forecasts of the India Meteorological Department indicated that wind speed is likely to pick up from December 26.