Delhi govt lifts ban on construction activities as air quality improves

On Monday, Delhi Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, told the media that New Delhi lifted a ban on construction projects as air quality enhanced marginally but offices and schools will remain shut till Wednesday at least. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to 303 on a scale of 500, decreasing from 499 almost a week back, when a thick haze hung over the city of over 200 million people. The present AQI levels still show very poor conditions, as per the government monitoring agencies. Air quality is gradually changing, the minister said. Labourers were meeting challenges, and that is why they have decided to resume construction work. He said that the officials would observe construction sites to guarantee that builders follow dust-control terms fixed by the government. Rai said that Delhi would consider limiting private vehicles to driving on alternate days if severe air pollution remained to trouble India's capital. Apart from preventing construction, the city government had closed schools and offices, letting people work from home. Rai told the media that the officials would examine the city's air quality on November 24 and then determine whether to resume schools and offices. He additionally urged citizens to utilise public transport. Vehicular emissions added to over half of Delhi's air pollution between October 24 to November 8. Delhi's choking air put many children in hospital with breathing difficulties, doctors told the media last week, and the government closed five power stations and extended school closures to check the crisis. Air quality declines sharply in the winter months in Delhi, frequently ranked the world's most polluted capital. Pollutants arising from transport, crop residue burning, industries, and coal-fired plants outside the city tend to get trapped as temperatures drop during winter. Image Source