Delhi wakes up to winter chill; AQI worsens to 'very poor’

New Delhi: Delhi-NCR residents experienced a wintry chill on Monday morning, with winter gradually setting in across the region. Meanwhile, the air quality fell to the 'very poor’ category, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 310 after a few days' respite because of the rain last week.

Several monitoring stations across the national Capital and its surrounding areas reported 'poor' to 'very poor' air quality. The AQI stood at 313 in Burari, 258 in Badarpur, 213 in Chhawla, 237 in Jharoda Kalan, 273 in Vasundhara Enclave, 256 in Karala and 310 in Uttam Nagar.

Other areas also recorded high pollution levels, including Ghoga at 274, Nangloi at 319, NIH Narela at 353, Mandir Marg at 340, Aya Nagar at 288, CRRI Mathura Road at 334 and Pusa at 340. Sirifort recorded an AQI of 354, while Chandni Chowk stood at 361 and Burari Crossing at 354.

The AQI was also recorded at 319 in JNU, 382 in Alipur, 359 at North Campus, Delhi University, 322 at Talkatora Garden and 357 at Dwarka Sector-8.

As northern India begins to experience the onset of winter, the country is witnessing a sharp contrast in weather conditions. While northern states are enjoying pleasant weather and cooler temperatures, southern and eastern regions are preparing for heavy rainfall amid the approach of Cyclone Murasu towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is expected to witness a bright day, with temperatures ranging between 17 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. No rainfall warning has been issued for the national Capital. Punjab and Haryana are also expected to remain largely dry, providing residents with some respite from unpredictable weather conditions.

Meanwhile, the Bay of Bengal is witnessing increased weather activity, with Cyclone Murasu expected to intensify before approaching the Andhra Pradesh coast. Winter conditions are also tightening their grip on Himalayan destinations, including Spiti, Ladakh and Kedarnath.

To tackle rising pollution during the winter months, the Delhi government has begun enforcing fixed-term restrictions under its Winter Action Plan from November 1. The measures will remain in force for varying periods until February 28.

A complete ban on construction and demolition activities, except for specified exemptions, will be imposed from December 10 to January 20. The plan aims to curb vehicular emissions, control dust and reduce road traffic during the peak winter season.

The government has also staggered office timings to ease traffic congestion. Delhi government offices will function from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., while Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until February 28. Parking charges at authorised municipal sites will also be doubled to discourage the use of private vehicles.

On the first day of the Winter Action Plan, authorities imposed penalties and environmental compensation totalling Rs 68.4 lakh. Enforcement teams checked nearly 15,000 vehicles, turned back 1,539 at border points and issued 566 challans for violations of Pollution Under Control Certificate norms.

According to official data available till 5 p.m. on Sunday, penalties included Rs 56.6 lakh for PUCC violations, Rs 2 lakh for breaches of vehicle entry restrictions and Rs 9.8 lakh as environmental compensation for violations of dust-control norms at construction and demolition sites.

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