Union Health Ministry Issues Advisory as Air Quality in Delhi Reaches “Severe-Plus” Level

The air quality index (AQI) reached stage four and touched the 500-mark in the Delhi-NCR region on Tuesday morning, raising alarms regarding the increasing air pollution in the capital. Meanwhile, the union health ministry on November 18 issued an advisory to state health departments and healthcare facilities to improve preparedness as the AQI has reached “severe plus” level in Delhi-NCR. 

“...State health departments and heathcare facilities to enhance their preparedness, including intensifying public awareness campaigns,...and scaling up participation in sentinel surveillance systems for air pollution-related diseases under the National programme on climate change and human health (NPCCHH),” said the ministry in the advisory. 

Additionally, the commission for air quality imposed the graded response action plan (GRAP) stage IV restrictions to reduce air pollution management in NCR and adjoining areas on Sunday. The GRAP is categorised in four stages of air quality: stage one for “poor” air quality (AQI ranging from 201-300), stage two for “very poor” air quality (301-400), stage three for “severe” (401-450) and stage four for “severe-plus” with AQI above 450. 

Now with GRAP-IV in force, movements of trucks into Delhi will be limited to only vehicles transporting essential items and services. Additionally, construction and demolition activities for infrastructure projects, including roads, highways, flyovers, bridges, power lines and pipeline installations, will remain suspended. The commission also advised children, senior citizens and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or other chronic diseases to stay indoors. 

While various government bodies have enhanced efforts to deal with severe air pollution, member of parliament (MP) from Lok Sabha Shashi Tharoor questioned whether Delhi should remain India’s capital. In a post on social media platform X on Monday, the MP said he has held an air quality round table for experts and stakeholders, including MPs. However, as nothing came out of it, he gave up efforts since 2015. 

“Delhi is officially the most polluted city in the world, 4x hazardous levels and nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted, Dhaka. It is unconscionable that our government has been witnessing this nightmare years and does nothing about it,” said Tharoor in the post.