Delhi gasps for Air, as Air Pollution Crisis Deepens

TNI Bureau: A thick layer of pollutants covered Delhi and the adjoining cities on Thursday morning as pollution levels slipped to ‘severe’ category. The experts have warned that prolonged exposure to this toxic air which could lead to serious multiple problems.

Primary schools in Delhi will be closed from tomorrow, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday as air pollution in the city worsened.The CM also said that the govt is contemplating on having odd even scheme to check the pollution. Schools will remain open for secondary and highest secondary students, but no outdoor activities will be permitted. Addressing the press conference, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann took responsibility for the excessive stubble burning that has led to a decline in air quality over the last few days.

Later, Environment Minister Gopal Rai on November 4 ordered 50% staff of the Delhi government to work from home and said an advisory will be issued to private offices to follow suit.

The air quality of the national capital on Thursday morning turned ‘severe’ as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 418, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

However by Thursday evening, the overall Air Quality Index deteriorated and surged to 458, as per the SAFAR data.

The PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentration stood at 458 and 433, respectively, both under the same ‘Severe’ category, according to the SAFAR data. The AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’; from 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’; 101- 200 ‘moderate’; 201-300 ‘poor’; 301-400 ‘very poor’; and 401-500 ‘severe’.

Commenting on deteriorating air quality of capital city, Dr Harshal Salve, Additional Professor, Centre for Community medicine at Delhi AIIMS, said that the prolonged exposure to such toxic air could lead to serious multiple problems apart from the respiratory issues.