New Delhi (PTI): Delhi woke up to GRAP Stage III restrictions on Friday, as the city's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the third consecutive day, prompting strict measures to curb pollution levels.

According to the Sameer aap , the Air Quality Index at 9 am was recorded in the 'severe' category (400 to 500), with a reading of 411.

The CAQM imposed GRAP Stage III as the national capital recorded the worst pollution levels in the country, with the air quality remaining in the 'severe' category for two consecutive days.

Prior to entering the 'severe' category, Delhi's air quality had been in the 'very poor ' range for 14 consecutive days.

It directed the authorities in Delhi-NCR to invoke curbs under stage III of the anti-pollution plan with immediate effect.

Curbs under Stage III include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, closure of stone crushers and mining activities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

Under the Stage-IV restrictions of GRAP, all inter-state buses from NCR states 'except electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and BS-VI diesel buses' will be prohibited from entering Delhi, alongside a stringent ban on construction and demolition activities, suspension of mining-related activities, consideration of shifting to online classes for students up to Class V and daily water sprinkling on major roads.

Meanwhile, out of 39 monitoring stations in Delhi, a total of 27 stations recorded air quality in the 'severe' category, with readings above 400.

These stations include Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Bawana, CRRI Mathura Road, IGI Airport, ITO, Jahangirpuri, Mandir Marg, Mundka, Najafgarh, Nehru Nagar, North Campus, Okhla Phase 2, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, Pusa, RK Puram, Rohini, and several others.

The city recorded its lowest minimum temperature (night time temperature) of the season at 15.6 degree Celsius, 2.6 notches above normal, according to the weather department.

The night time temperature on Thursday was recorded at 16.1°C, the second highest of the season so far. A thick veil of fog blanketed the city, reducing visibility at Safdarjung to 400 meters at 7 am on Friday.

Humidity was recorded at 98 per cent at 8:30 am.

The weather department has forecast very dense fog for the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle at 29 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, Delhi's air quality has been recorded as the worst in the country for the past two days.

 

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Chennai, Nov 23: Music composer AR Rahman on Saturday issued a warning to individuals speculating about his separation from his wife, Saira Banu.

Taking to social media on Saturday, the 57-year-old musician shared a three-page legal notice addressing those spreading defamatory and "objectionable" content targeting him and his family.

"Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team," Rahman wrote on X.

It comes days after Rahman and Saira Banu announced that they are ending their marriage of 29 years.

The notice provides a 24-hour window for the removal of such content, stating that failure to comply could result in legal consequences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

"My client informs the hatemongers and sharers of abusive contents to remove the objectionable content within the next one hour and a maximum time duration of 24 hours," read the notice.

Rahman’s legal team said the actions of these individuals not only tarnish his reputation but also cause distress to his family.

Rahman and Banu tied the knot in 1995 and share three children-- daughters Khatija, Raheema, and son Ameen.