Air quality improves in Delhi NCR

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-mandated EPCA today withdrew the ban on construction activities, entry of trucks and enhanced parking fees from across Delhi–NCR as air quality remained out of the ‘emergency’ category for the second straight day.

The Delhi Traffic Police, however, said the ban imposed on the entry of trucks within the city limits is indefinite. The ban, imposed last week after Delhi’s air quality recorded “severe” levels of pollution gives an exemption only to trucks carrying essential items.

The measures, part of the Graded Response Action Plan, were enforced on November 8 after pollution levels had spiked, hitting the emergency category, accompanied by thick smog.

EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal wrote to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana this morning, directing them that the measures be lifted with “immediate effect” as the prevailing air quality does not warrant such tough action.

“We are watching the situation very carefully and we have been informed by the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology that pollution may rise again because of increased moisture in the air in the coming days,” wrote Bhure Lal, the chairperson to EPCA in his letter to the concerned states