High wind speed on Monday helped bring down pollution levels in the city even as the Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked in at 407, which falls in the ‘severe’ category. The AQI on Sunday was 494, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The air quality is expected be in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday and may further improve from November 8, according to government-run monitoring agency SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research). The AQI of Delhi was 370, ‘very poor’, at 8.30 p.m. on Monday, as per CPCB.
On Monday, the share of pollution in the city due to stubble burning in neighbouring States was 14%, down from 25% on Sunday, stated SAFAR.
“High surface and boundary-layer wind is expected on Tuesday, which will improve air quality to ‘very poor’ level by the morning. A fresh western disturbance is approaching north India, scattered rainfall and change in wind direction is expected by November 8 in Delhi region, which is likely to positively influence AQI,” said the monitoring agency
The level of deadly respirable particles PM2.5 was almost six times (368.6 ug/m3) the safe limit (60 ug/m3) in Delhi-NCR at 6.30 p.m. on Monday, as per CPCB data. On Sunday, PM2.5 was over 10 times (625.1 ug/m3) the safe limit — the highest recorded so far this season.
‘Severe’ air quality can cause respiratory problems in healthy people and has serious impact on those with lung or heart diseases, according to a Supreme Court-appointed pollution control body EPCA.
The EPCA on Monday extended a ban on coal-based industries, hot mix plants, and stone crushers in NCR till November 8.
Cricketers move out
Reacting to air pollution in north India, cricketer Harbhajan Singh said in a video shared on Twitter: “North Indian air has become polluted and we all are responsible for it. I have been hearing it for the past many years that due to stubble burning air and water becomes polluted... And the life span will be reduced by 7-10 years if we live like this. So we have to act.”
Cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra have allegedly already moved out of Delhi due to air pollution.
