Delhi Air Today Measures 999 On Air Quality Index. Its Safe To Breathe At 150.
Ranked 'Severe', Delhi's Air Worst In India, It Is Officially Dangerous To Step Out
Delhi's air is so polluted that everyone in the Capital may have their breathing affected today morning, when they woke up to a smog caused by Diwali fireworks.
User Ritika Kapoor sent us a picture of smog from Shalimar Bagh, New #Delhi! #DayAfterDiwali pic.twitter.com/rG0nh3ydx8
¡ª Indiatimes (@indiatimes) October 31, 2016
In numbers
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), respirable pollutants, PM 2.5 and PM 10, were clocked at 283 and 517 micrograms per cubic metre at 8 PM last night. They should be at 60 and 100 respectively, and anything higher can mean particulate matter embedding itself in your lungs, making its way to your blood stream.
A user sent us this picture of the smog from Dwarka, Delhi #DayAfterDiwali #AirQualityIndex pic.twitter.com/GeMk6sjxFB
¡ª Indiatimes (@indiatimes) October 31, 2016
Real-time ambient air quality data: Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) from RK Puram, one of the Capital's most polluted spots
The day after Diwali, Central Delhi air is the worst and measured 999 on the Air Quality Index. Gurgaon was a surprisingly clean 70 #Diwali pic.twitter.com/WjW7inQsyT
¡ª Indiatimes (@indiatimes) October 31, 2016
PM10 was 4,273 ?g/m?: 10.55 PM
PM10 permissible limit: 100 ?g/m?
PM2.5 was 748?g/m?: 2.30am
PM 2.5 is permissible at 60?g/m?
Therefore. PM10 readings rose by 42 times and PM2.5 readings rose by 12.5 times
Smog visuals from Vijay Chowk in Delhi pic.twitter.com/9NtW7tQyO5
¡ª ANI (@ANI_news) October 31, 2016
With such a reading, people have been asked not to step out, as it is dangerous for children, elders and those with heart or lung diseases.
Delhi: Air quality at 500(Severe) around Lodhi Road today morning pic.twitter.com/wv3FUVG4fP
¡ª ANI (@ANI_news) October 31, 2016
Firecracker pollution isn't the only culprit - it is a catalyst to Delhi bigger pollution problem, of automobile traffic, dust, farm smoke blowing in from Punjab and Haryana as farmers clear their fields - with fire that burns in a band ranging 250 km from east to west.
agencies
US Embassy New Delhi's PM2.5 reading is actually maxed out right now. What. #Pollution pic.twitter.com/0s8SYmMlp7
¡ª Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) October 31, 2016
Slow winds also don't allow the airborne pollution to dissipate, trapping Delhi in a poisonous greenhouse.
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