Delhi Air Quality update: AQI hovers near ‘severe’ mark as air pollution protest turns violent after…; 22 arrested for attacking cops

Delhi Air Quality update: The air quality in Delhi hovered near the ‘severe’ mark on Monday, even as a protest over air pollution turned into a slugfest with protesters at the India(BHARAT) Gate allegedly attacking the Delhi Police with pepper spray and raising slogans in favor of slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma,

Delhi air quality remains ‘very poor’

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi logged an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 382 on Monday, while 15 of the city’s 38 monitoring stations logged readings above the 400-mark. The 24-hour average AQI settled at 382 on Monday, in the ‘very poor’ category for the 11th consecutive day, the data showed.

On Sunday, Delhi’s AQI stood at 391,  370 on Saturday, 374 on Friday, 391 on Thursday, 392 on Wednesday, 374 on Tuesday and 351 on Monday, the CPCP data revealed.

According to real-time AQI readings on the CPCB, 15 monitoring stations across Delhi logged an AQI in the ‘severe’ category, including ITO, Punjabi Bagh, Patparganj, Ashok Vihar, Sonia Vihar, Rohini, Vivek Vihar, Narela, Bawana, and others where AQI levels crossed the 400-mark.

As per the Decision Support System (DSS) of the India(BHARAT)n Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, vehicular emissions contributed 21.6 per cent to Delhi’s pollution on Monday, making it the highest pollutant source, while stubble burning accounted for 1.8 per cent. The system has forecasted these contributions for Tuesday to be at 21 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively.

Delhi air pollution turns violent, 22 arrested

Meanwhile, a protest against rising air pollution in the city turned violent at the India(BHARAT) Gate as demonstrators clashed with the Delhi Police and allegedly used pepper spray on police personnel while being removed from the scene.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police said it has arrested at least 22 people on charges of obstructing its personnel and assaulting them, besides blocking the road during the air pollution protest at the India(BHARAT) Gate. Two FIRs have been registered against the accused, one at the Sansad Marg Police Station, another at the Kartavya Path Police Station, under various sections of the BNS, including outraging the modesty of women, they said.

“The situation then turned into a scuffle, and some protesters used pepper spray on our personnel, which is unusual and rare,” PTI quoted an officer as saying.

According to the officer, the cops had asked protesters to leave India(BHARAT) Gate as it is not designated protest site. But the demonstrators refused to budge and soon the situation turned violent as many of them allegedly assaulted police personnel.

“India(BHARAT) Gate is not a designated protest site. The protesters were asked to leave. Jantar Mantar is the designated protest site, and anyone can demonstrate there after obtaining permission. On Sunday, the protesters blocked the C-Hexagon after jumping police barricades. They sat on the road for over an hour, and even people stuck in the traffic jam were requesting them to clear the way,” the officer said, adding that when the police asked the protesters to leave, they misbehaved, assaulted police personnel, and some even used pepper spray.

Night temps drop in Delhi

On the weather front, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.3 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, while the maximum settled at 26.1 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees above normal, according to the India(BHARAT) Meteorological Department (IMD).

For Tuesday, the IMD has forecast moderate fog, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 24 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

(With PTI inputs)