Delhi's air quality plummets to worst of the season, AQI at "severe" level

The air quality of Delhi and neighbouring areas plummeted to "severe" category on Wednesday as the overall AQI was recorded at 410 at 6 AM, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The condition is likely to deteriorate further.

The city was covered in a smoky haze due to a high volume of trapped pollutants. Experts warned that episodes of smog will begin in a couple of days.

In Delhi, the overall PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 240 against the safe limit of 60. The PM2.5 also called "fine particulates," can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10.

The PM10 level (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 442 against the safe limit of 100, as per SAFAR.

On Wednesday, almost all places in the NCR saw a sharp rise in the major pollutants -- PM2.5 and PM10 -- particles in the air with diameters less than 2.5mm and 10mm, respectively.

An AQI of 0-100 is considered 'Good+Satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe', as per SAFAR.

On Tuesday, Delhi-NCR's air quality deteriorated to "severe" category, with a rise in particle pollutants overnight, mostly due to the local sources of pollution.

Here are the pollution figures from different corners of the city

PLACE	PM2.5	PM10
Gurugram	252	N/A
Dwarka	307	N/A
Noida	278	511
Anand Vihar	330	674
Faridabad	280	N/A

 

At 4 pm, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was 401 which is considered "severe". The AQI was 451 at Ghaziabad, 426 at Gurugram, 408 at Noida and 413 on Faridabad, all considered "severe". Greater Noida was the least polluted with near severe AQI at 394, on a scale of 0 to 500.

On Tuesday, across 35 active pollution monitored area in Delhi, the average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 was 263 microgrammes per cubic meters and 472 units by 7 p.m. The same PM2.5 and PM10 concentration across 48 monitored area of National Capital Region (NCR) were 257 units and 457 units.

Meanwhile, terming as "very critical" and "horrible" the prevailing pollution situation in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court on Monday prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the national capital region.

A Supreme Court-appointed committee has already ordered the pollution control panels of Delhi and neighbouring states to stop all the dust generating construction activities from November 1 to 10, when the pollution is supposed to peak

The CPCB-led task force has recommended avoiding outdoor exercises between November 1 and November 10, as the air is expected to turn toxic in the coming days in the national capital.

It also recommended stringent measures, including minimisation of private vehicles and shutdown of coal and biomass industries to deal with the alarming increase of pollution in the national capital

According to a WHO report, over one lakh children under five years of age died in India in 2016 due to exposure to toxic air.

Another report by Greenpeace also presented a grim picture of India's pollution level.

According to the report, three of the world's largest nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots, which contribute to the formation of PM2.5 and ozone, were in India, with one in the Delhi NCR region.

Delhi-NCR, Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh and Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh and Talcher-Angul in Odisha were the hotspots identified.

Authorities in Delhi asked 113 industries to shut down for not converting to Piped Natural Gas (PNG). 

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-led task force also recommended shutting down of coal and biomass-based industries, excluding thermal and waste-to-energy plants, from November 4 to 10, intensification of efforts by Transport Department to check polluting vehicles and controlling traffic congestion in Delhi-NCR between November 1 and 10.

SAFAR also issued a health advisory due to increased pollution level in Delhi, urging people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.

It also recommended people to go for shorter walks instead of jogs, keeping windows closed and wearing masks while stepping outside.