The air quality in Delhi on Saturday remained in the 'very poor' category.
As per the data taken from 40 different monitoring stations, 31 stations has stayed in the 'very poor' bands in the evening, with Nehru Nagar reporting the highest AQI at 369, according to CPCB's Sameer App.
A total of 36 stations were in the ‘very poor’ category, with Mundka recording the worst levels at 387, PTI reported.
The AQI swung sharply through the week, as the city recorded an AQI of 279 on Sunday, 304 on Monday, later rose to 372 on Tuesday, and stood at 342 on Wednesday. It remained in the 'very poor' category at 304 on Thursday and 327 on Friday.
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Delhi government has formed an expert group on air pollution mitigation, which will be responsible for providing evidence-based guidance on prevention, control and long-term management of air quality, an official told PTI.
What is the purpose of the expert body?
The expert body has been established to advise the Delhi government on sector-specific interventions, emerging technologies and policy reforms required to tackle the pollution driven by both human-induced and natural factors.
The group will work as a high-level advisory panel to guide, evaluate and strengthen Delhi's air quality management strategy.
The group is tasked with providing independent, science-based and actionable advice to the Delhi government that would aid in mitigating air pollution. It's objective also includes giving short-term emergency responses and long-term structural reforms.
It will actively monitor and review air pollution control programmes being implemented by various departments, and based on the report, suggest policy measures aligned with best global practices.
The expert group, constituted for an initial period of six months, has been directed to meet at least once every month, either in person or virtually. The government retains the authority to extend its tenure or alter its composition as needed, PTI reported.
