The capital's weather index showed a sharp decline in air quality across the city.
Two days before Diwali, residents of Delhi and its neighbouring cities woke up to dense smog this morning. The capital's weather index showed a sharp decline in air quality across the city. While the Air Quality Index in Delhi's Anand Vihar showed a reading of 912, which means 'hazardous' pollution, other pollution indicators showed a spike too. PM2.5, which is considered very harmful to health, showed a reading of 644 or over 20 times the safe limit prescribed by the WHO. PM10 pollutant showed a reading of 785, which too is nearly 30 times the safe limit.
PM2.5 pollutant are tiny particles that can enter the lungs and bloodstream and cause serious harm. Children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments like asthma suffer the most from Delhi's hazardous smog. Smog kills more than one million Indians every year and Delhi has the worst air of any major city on the planet, the World Health Organization says.
Here are the highlights of the pollution and weather in Delhi:
An aggressive 10-day-long 'Clean Air Campaign' from November 1-10 has also been launched to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action.
Under the campaign, a fine of over Rs. 1 crore has been imposed in the last three days on people violating the norms causing pollution.
Thick Smog in Delhi's RK Puram area
On Monday, the PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) level was recorded at 268 while the PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) was recorded at 391.
The spike in the pollution level comes a day after the air quality had improved to moderate category due to meterological factors and the control measures implemented by the authorities in Delhi.
An official with the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said despite moderate wind speed, the pollution in Delhi rose due to stubble burning from the neighbouring states."As expected there is a significant intrusion of bio-mass generated pollution in Delhi which is increasing pollution levels and made it very poor in spite of moderate surface wind speed," he said.
Prominent pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 in 'Severe' category in the Delhi University area.