As Delhiies choke under a blanket of smog, the city’s Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday appealed to the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to take measures to divert trucks carrying non-essential goods on peripheral expressways to avoid traffic jams at the capital’s borders.
With pollution levels in the national capital worsening, the Centre’s air quality panel had on Thursday banned the entry of trucks other than electric and CNG ones into Delhi. Those carrying essential commodities are exempted.
“Stage IV of GRAP has already been invoked with immediate effect from November 3… mandating the NCR and Delhi authorities to ensure that trucks carrying non-essential items should not be allowed to enter Delhi till further date as deemed necessary,” Rai said in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
“It is necessary that the transport and traffic authorities of your state also take steps/measures to divert such non-essential trucks on eastern/western peripheral expressway or any other alternate route beyond the NCR limit to avoid congestion and traffic jams at the borders shared with Delhi. Necessary cooperation is solicited from your respective state in this regard,” the environment minister said.
Alarmed by hazardous pollution levels and health warnings, the Delhi government on Friday announced the closure of primary schools from Saturday and that 50 per cent of its staff will work from home. It also advised private offices to follow suit.
The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of Delhi on Friday stood at 447.
It had jumped to 450, just a notch short of the ‘severe plus’ category, on Thursday, prompting the authorities to invoke the final stage of anti-pollution curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including a ban on non-BS VI diesel-run light motor vehicles.
An AQI above 400 is considered ‘severe’, which can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.
Delhi’s air quality improved marginally on Friday morning on the back of strong surface-level winds but remained ‘severe’.
(With PTI inputs)
Follow us on:
Instagram: instagram.com/thepatriot_in/
Twitter: twitter.com/Patriot_Delhi
Facebook: facebook.com/Thepatriotnewsindia
Directed by Shivam Nair, the film released in theatres on Friday and collected Rs 4.03…
The national leadership of the party has appointed senior leader Mahendra Nagpal as the election…
Reports suggest that Siddharth Anand and Karan Malhotra, who were initially involved in the project,…
Lewis Hamilton had a miserable Ferrari debut. The seven-time champion finished 10th and was annoyed…
The chief minister was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Public Works Department Minister Parvesh…
The innovative initiative reinforces both DMRC and Blue Dart’s commitment to environmental stewardship
