Delhiites Just Breathed The Most Toxic Air In A Year With PM2.5 That's 14 Times Over WHO Limit

On Thursday, Delhi recorded the worst air quality in a year with concentration of poisonous PM2.5 particles at 14 times over the World Health Organisation safe limit.

The national capital is already grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases and the toxic air is expected to worsen it further.

¡°We are seeing all round the sky is covered with smoke, and because of this the situation from coronavirus is worsening,¡± Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi¡¯s chief minister, said in a video tweet.

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Delhi¡¯s air pollution typically worsens in October and November due to farmers burning off stubble and coal-fired power plants in surrounding states, traffic fumes and windless days.

Crackers banned in Delhi

CM Kejriwal has banned use and sale of firecrackers in Delhi ahead of Diwali and ramped up critical health infrastructure in state-run hospitals to control a surge in coronavirus cases due to pollution and the festive season, he said.

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The average level of the tiny PM2.5 particles, which could potentially cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases including lung cancer, was 370 per cubic metre of air against the WHO¡¯s prescribed safe limit of 25 per cubic metre.

The overall air quality index (AQI), which includes other pollutants besides PM2.5 particles, crossed 460 on a scale of 500, the worst since November 14, 2019.