New Delhi:
Even as Delhi-NCR continue to reel under heavy smog, BJP lawmaker has come up with a unique idea to tackle air emergency. Nand Kishor Gurjar, BJP lawmaker from Ghaziabad’s Loni on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking help from the Indian Air Force to fight the deadly smog. The BJP leader says that the Indian Air Force should deploy C-17 Globemaster and other choppers to sprinkle water over the entire National Capital Region. He also wanted the Prime Minister to take ‘help’ from the Indian scientists to devise ways for creating artificial rain in the region. He says that clean air is the fundamental right of every citizen and the Prime Minister must step in to take a crucial decision in this regard.
It should be noted that the Indian Air Force’s important Hindon airbase is just 12 km away from Loni in Ghaziabad. The Hindon airbase houses IAF’s C-17 Globemaster heavylift special operation aircraft procured from the US, shorter version C-130J Hercules and other units. The base also provides vital air cover to the national capital.
Meanwhile, pollution levels in the national capital are expected to drop on Tuesday due to an increase in wind speed even as air quality remained in the 'very poor' category in the morning. According to the Meteorological (MeT) department, there is a possibility of strong winds in the next 24 hours. At 9.44 am, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 365. The AQI at Vivek Vihar, Anand Vihar and ITO were registered at 410, 395 and 382 respectively. On Monday, the city's average AQI stood at 370 at 8.30 pm due to a slight increase in wind. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. An AQI above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), AQI in Noida was registered at 388, followed by Ghaziabad (378), Faridabad (363) and Gurgaon (361).
