Delhi’s air quality woes were further aggravated as the national capital woke to witnesses a thick blanket of smog post Diwali.
The smog surrounded Delhi and adjacent places including Noida, Gurugram, after people burst crackers on Diwali night, violating the Supreme Court's ban order.
The bursting of crackers all Diwali night has lead to heavy pollution all across the National Capital Region – which has been already battling with its deteriorating air quality.
Visuals from across Delhi showed thick haze covering the roads, significantly reducing visibility and making it difficult to see beyond a few hundred metres.
As the AQI worsened in Delhi, ahead of Diwali, the Supreme Court had clarified that its order banning the use of barium and banned chemicals in firecrackers are applicable not just to the NCR but to the entire country.
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At 5.30am on Monday morning, air quality levels in Delhi were at 514, higher than 320 on the air quality index – a level categorised as “hazardous” by Swiss group IQAir. According to IQAir, Delhi is the most polluted city in the world on Monday.
Delhi’s Anand Vihar region registered the highest level of air pollution, with the air quality index (AQI) reaching 969 (hazardous) at 5am, according to weather agency aqicn.org. AQI between 0-50 is considered healthy, while a value over 300 represents ‘hazardous’ air quality.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), while the average AQI remained poor (289) in Anand Vihar at 5am, PM2.5 levels touched 500-mark. Similarly, RK Puram saw AQI of 281 at 5am, with PM2.5 being the most prominent pollutant touching 500-mark. The concentration of PM 2.5 in the city has been recorded at 20 times the limit prescribed by the World Health Organisation, prompting the city government to order the closure of all primary classes and restrict the entry of trucks.
