Delhi-NCR chokes again, air quality back to ‘hazardous’ category

The air quality in Delhi-NCR has deteriorated again in the last two days with doctors advising people against outdoor activities.
NEW DELHI: After some brief relief, the air quality in Delhi-NCR has deteriorated again in the last two days. As per the Air Quality Index (AQI) data at 9 am on Tuesday, Delhi’s Anand Vihar region showed ‘Hazardous’ level with prominent pollutants PM10 at 806 and PM2.5 at 560.
Air quality was hazardous in RK Puram too with PM 10 recorded at 620 and PM2.5 at 412. At Delhi Technological University too, the PM 2.5 level was recorded at 416.
Lodhi Road area has content of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ category respectively. The air quality around India Gate was on Tuesday recorded at 258 under ‘poor’ category on the AQI.
Air quality in Delhi has been hovering between the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories since November 13. The AQI levels in the capital were recorded in the ‘severe’ zone for seven days between November 7 and November 13.
The smog in Delhi did not even spare the Test match between India and Sri Lanka which was held at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Sunday. The match had to be halted because of poor air quality. The players experienced breathing trouble while on the ground and later played with their masks on.
Thereafter, the National Green Tribunal had pulled up the Delhi government for its “lackadaisical” approach over rising pollution levels in the city.
The governments in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan have already filed their action plans with the tribunal.
The Delhi government sought more time on the contention that its Chief Secretary and environment secretary were recently changed and the new officers needed to settle down to finalize the plan. But the court apparently was not impressed with the reason.
“Where is your action plan? Why have you not submitted it? What can we do if you keep on changing everybody? It`s not our problem if people don`t want to stick to you.