AQI in Delhi drops to 226; residents face breathing issues
A thin layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Saturday as the Air Quality Index dropped to 226, categorized as 'Poor' as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
A thin layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Saturday as the Air Quality Index dropped to 226, categorized as 'Poor' as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
The national capital needs the help of its rural neighbours to finally beat its killer smog problem, according to experts.
According to the data shared by the CPCB, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Anand Vihar was recorded at 452, while it was at 433, 460, 382, and 413 at RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Sri Aurobindo Marg and Shadipur, all in the 'severe' category.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the concentration of both PM 2.5 and PM 10 in the environment was recorded at 315 and 210 under "very poor" and "poor category" respectively.
New Delhi's air quality, which had improved on Wednesday to the "moderate" category. However, this morning the national capital was shrouded in a layer of smog.
The capital witnessed a drop to the severe category for the first time this season due to poor dispersion of pollutants.
In the Delhi University area and Lodhi Road, the AQI remained in the 'very poor category at 319 and 314 respectively. At Mathura Road, the AQI was in the 'poor' category at 290.
The metropolis cannot be free of pollution unless citizens change their lifestyle, and authorities do their job.
Hospitals in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj and Agra have already reported a surge in patients with respiratory problems.
Even the main pollutants level has dropped. PM 10 is at 307 in the poor category and PM 2.5 at 221 in the very poor category.
