Delhi's air quality reaches severe level

As smog returned to Delhi today it trapped particulate matters and dragged the city's air quality down to the 'severe' category.
The average levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10, microscopic particles that can be embeded deep into the lungs and subsequently the bloodstream, were 296 and 479 micrograms per cubic metre respectively, an IMD official said.
The corresponding safe limits are 60 and 100 respectively.
Independent portal IndiaSpend, which has installed low cost sensors across the city, said that pollution levels in Delhi "rose 50 per cent" during the first week of the odd-even measure over the previous week (December 25 to December 31).

Although the portal attributed it to additional factors, such as temperature, wind-speed and increased moisture. "It is likely, though, that the odd-even measure introduced by Delhi government might not, in itself, be adequate," it said.
"The pollutants are not getting dispersed due to calm wind. Visibility also came down to less than 50 metres in the morning due to fog. It also trapped pollutants. Tomorrow the situation might be better," a senior IMD official said.

The government said that its latest set of data, collected from 22 locations across Delhi through mobile dust samplers yesterday, showed a "consistent trend" of declining levels of PM 2.5 levels.

The mobile teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have so far collected ambient air data from 112 locations.
(REOPENS DES34)
Crop stubble burning is becoming a major cause of pollution with the National Green Tribunal today slamming Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for not taking prior steps to control it.
"82 per cent of the citizens say that a more extensive subsidy programme need to be put together by central and state government to bring down the cost of the seeding equipment," a survey said.
Out of 21,975 respondents, 91 per cent said, municpal corporations should ensure that there is no garbage burning.

As per the multi-parameter survey conducted by Noida-based online networking portal LocalCircles, citizens appeared to be divided on whether construction should be banned during winters or not.
Out of 25,284 people, 46 per cent said it should not be banned while 43 per cent said it should be.
"On the issue of ban of large diesel commercial vehicles entering city limits, 76 per cent of the citizens said the police should enforce it," according to the survey.
"On the issue of burning of garbage, 82 per cent of citizens said that municipal corporations should not do it," the survey said.