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Ahead of Diwali celebrations, the air quality in the national capital has reached at the hazardous levels.
New Delhi: Ahead of Diwali celebrations, the air quality in the national capital has reached at the hazardous levels on Thursday.
According to the pollution monitoring website aqicn.org, Anand Vihar topped the chart of the most polluted areas in the national capital.
The website recorded 740 microgrammes per cubic metre of PM 2.5 in the area.
Based on the Air Quality Index, Anand Vihar was marked at 740 (Hazardous), Punjabi Bagh was at 466 (Hazardous), while RK Puram was at 298 (Very unhealthy).
Similar levels were recorded in Shadipur and Delhi Technological University. However, Ram Krishna Puram and Chanakya Puri remained less polluted this morning.
The continually worsening condition of air quality in Delhi had led the Supreme Court on October 9 to ban the sale of firecrackers in New Delhi and adjoining regions till November 1, with the view to reduce pollution.
However, the ban ordered mere 10 days before the festival on the sale of crackers has not stopped the citizens from bursting crackers.
The experts have warned that the air quality in Delhi is likely to turn ‘severe’ and may even enter the “emergency” zone on Diwali night due to burning of crackers in parts of the city.
The warning came from a group of scientists working with the government and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The air quality in Delhi had on Wednesday breached “very poor” level. Conditions were similar on Tuesday following which the authorities imposed a ban on diesel generators in the state.
As per an official of central government agency SAFAR, which monitors air pollution, burning of paddy stubble in Haryana and Punjab, meteorological conditions and recent fire breakouts at Ghazipur landfills are some of the major reasons behind the alarming level of air pollution in the national capital.
PM 2.5, particulate matter, less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can be inhaled and become lodged in the lungs and blood cells, is the main killer. Its levels, in micrograms per cubic meters, were alarmingly high on Wednesday. As per Indian standards, PM 2.5 levels must not be above 60.
The following were the reported PM level on Wednesday at different parts of the city: Anand Vihar ISBT (244.85), Delhi Technological University (DTU) (218) , Shadipur (214), NSIT Dwarka (185), Punjabi Bagh (163), Mandir Marg (175) and ITO (116).
The authorities have shut the Badarpur Power Plant and use of diesel gensets has been restricted till March 15 as part of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that came into force on Tuesday.
However, hospitals and metro services have been exempted from this ban.
