As if things were not bad enough due to COVID, Delhi's pollution is another issue for those living in the capital. Even if there was no COVID, a mask is needed because Delhi's air quality is pretty bad right now. According to PTI, air quality has dropped to the hazardous' category.?
Delhi's AQI has been recorded at 302, which falls in the very poor category. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ¡®good¡¯, 51 and 100 ¡®satisfactory¡¯, 101 and 200 ¡®moderate¡¯, 201 and 300 ¡®poor¡¯, 301 and 400 ¡®very poor¡¯, and 401 and 500 ¡®severe¡¯.
In fact, the AQI went on to touch as high as 586 in some places. RK Puram recorded 445 while Pusa had 572. (All were recorded around 10 am)
Compare this to late august when it was low as 41, this is a drastic change. The lockdown clearly did not have as much an effect on pollution as one thought it would.?
"Air quality will deteriorate in the coming two days till October 24. There are factors other than farm fires which are worsening the air quality, such as vehicular pollution and waste burning. PM 2.5 will increase and PM 10, which is now in the 'poor' category, will be 'very poor' by October 24," Additional Director General of IMD Anand Sharma said.?
The CPCB said Delhi's AQI was in the 'poor' category on October 22 morning at 254 and it deteriorated to 'very poor' at 302 by evening. It was 256 on October 21. The 24-hour average AQI of Delhi was 223 on October 20 and 244 on October 19.?
Areas like AQI of 365, Wazirpur 352, Anand Vihar 306, Narela 358, Bawana 320, Rohini 342, Sector 8 in Dwarka 332, Vivek Vihar 313 and Jahangirpuri 310 come under the 'very poor' category.?
The scary thing is that it is not even Diwali.