From poor to severe pollution level, Delhiites struggle to breathe

NEW DELHI: The national capital’s air quality is hovering between the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ category and the overall air quality index (AQI) crossing the 400 mark. As per the record on October 30, Delhi’s overall air quality index is 422. The air quality in Noida is no better with the AQI settling at 270.

An air quality levels between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”. Above 500 is “severe-plus emergency” category.

Firecracker emissions, stubble burning and unfavorable meteorological conditions has worsened the air quality.

Twenty-six of the 37-air quality monitoring stations in the capital recorded the air quality in the “severe” category on October 29. Anand Vihar was the most polluted area in Delhi with an AQI of 464 and Wazirpur following with an AQI of 430. Pollution levels in the satellite towns of Ghaziabad was 465, Greater Noida with AQI 440 were at worse.

Mahesh Palawat, a senior scientist at Skymet Weather, a private forecaster said, slow wind speed (5 to 7 kilometers per hour) allowed the pollutants to accumulate in the region. The wind speed will increase to 10-15 kmph, which will lead to a marginal improvement in air quality.