Delhi air pollution worsens after Diwali, AQI in ‘very poor’ zone
New Delhi: A day after Diwali celebrations, Delhi woke up to toxic air with the Air Quality Index (AQI) dipping to “very poor” levels across most parts of the city. According to data recorded at 5:30 am on Tuesday, the average AQI in the national capital stood at 346, indicating highly polluted air.
Despite the use of so-called “green firecrackers” following the Supreme Court’s conditional relaxation, the city’s air quality deteriorated sharply overnight. By 10 pm on Monday, 36 out of 38 monitoring stations showed AQI readings in the red zone, marking pollution levels from “very poor” to “severe.”
The Early Warning System for Delhi reported that several areas had AQI levels exceeding 400. Experts said that apart from firecracker smoke, stubble burning in neighbouring states and vehicular emissions are the main reasons behind Delhi’s rising pollution levels.
Residents have been advised to limit outdoor activities and wear protective masks until the AQI improves to at least the “moderate” category. As per the AQI scale, readings between 301 and 400 are considered “very poor,” while those above 400 fall under the “severe” category, posing serious health risks.
The air quality was equally bad in surrounding cities. According to private air quality tracker aqi.in, Noida and Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 412, Faridabad touched 412 and Gurugram recorded 402. Greater Noida reported 390, while Meerut stood at 302 early Tuesday morning.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an annual average of 5 μg/m3 and a 24-hour average of 15 μg/m3 for PM2.5 levels. For PM10, the safe 24-hour limit is 45 μg/m3. Current readings in Delhi and nearby regions are many times higher than these safe standards.
(with agency inputs)
