India’s capital Delhi suspends construction activities as air quality set to worsen

In the wake of deteriorating air quality, the Indian capital Delhi has prohibited construction and demolition activities.

On Monday, the air quality index (AQI) was 415 in the Anand Vihar area of Delhi– more than eight times the “good” level, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

The weather agency has predicted that the air quality would worsen from Tuesday due to calmer winds and other meteorological conditions.

“Experts are predicting that wind speed will fall from Nov. 1 and its direction will change,” Delhi’s environment minister, Gopal Rai, told a news conference on Sunday.

“Based on that, it is being predicted that the AQI would go beyond 400 into the severe category.”

He, however, did not further reveal when the restrictions could be lifted.

AQI is used as a yardstick to gauge the air quality of a region. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern

A reading of above 400 is considered “severe” that can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.

Every winter season, just after the Diwali festival, the city of over 20 million witnesses the worst air quality as cold and heavy air traps construction dust and vehicle emissions, apart from the smoke emanating out of crop residues that come from the neighbouring Haryana and Punjab states ahead of the new crop season.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has formed 586 teams to monitor the construction works, Rai said, adding that hospitals, railways, airports and other such public activities could be exempted from the ban.

Moreover, 521 machines have been deployed to sprinkle water across the city to settle dust while nearly 233 anti-smog guns have been dispatched, the minister added.