'Save Delhi from becoming gas chamber,' Kejriwal urges neighbouring governments to take concrete steps

The residents of the National Capital Region seem to be getting no respite from the worsening air quality after Diwali. As per the air quality index on Wednesday at Delhi's Lodhi Road area, the major pollutants PM 2.5 was measured at 500 (severe category) while PM 10 was recorded at 379 (very poor category). 

Delhi's overall air quality on average was at around 392 this morning under 'very poor' category. Chandni Chowk recorded the highest PM 10 at 673 today with 'severe' category pollution. 

Noida's air quality was at 535 at the AQI index (severe) while Gurugram was 'very poor' at 384.  

Delhi government, on Tuesday, blamed stubble-burning activities in Delhi's adjoining areas for the dip in the air quality in the national capital. 

The Delhi government on Tuesday said that the latest images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show a drastic increase in the stubble burning in the last 24 hours in Haryana and Punjab, news agency ANI reported. 

A statement from the office of Delhi's Environment Minister Kailash Gahlot said, "Latest NASA images show a drastic increase in stubble burning in the last 24 hours. Stubble burning counts have increased from 1,654 to 2,577 in Punjab/Haryana in the last 24 hours."

The statement said that wind direction shows stubble plume could increase from Punjab and Haryana, and Delhi facing adverse air quality despite the cleanest Diwali night in the last many years, ANI reported. 

"The latest NASA images show a drastic spurt in crop residue burnings (stubble burnings) in the neighbouring states of Delhi, which has severely affected Delhi's air quality.

The stubble plume from north-west regions has become one of the significant factors in adversely affecting Delhi's air quality," the statement read. 

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday took to Twitter and urged governments of Punjab and Haryana to take concrete steps to avoid Delhi from turning into a gas chamber. 

"On behalf of Delhi residents, I appeal to the governments of Punjab Haryana to join hands and take some concrete steps immediately and save Delhi from becoming a gas chamber. At our level, we are making every possible effort and will continue to do so," his tweet read. 

The pollution in the national capital and its nearby areas such as Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad remained in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) docking at 392, said Center-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). 

Experts suggest there are little chances of smog lifting up in the next couple of days. 

(With inputs from ANI)