Delhi Air Pollution: Dense smog covered New Delhi on the morning of Sunday, thus indicating that air pollution was at its worst across the entire Delhi. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that the Air Quality Index (AQI) read 462 at 6 am and this indeed forced the authority to declare the area a public health hazard. Severe pollution levels were indicated by the red category at all of the 40 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi. North West Delhi’s Rohini area recorded the highest AQI at 499 with PM2.5 being identified as the major pollutant. Jahangirpuri and Vivek Vihar were just behind with AQI readings of 495. The poor air quality also resulted in visibility being very low in some parts of the city. In Patparganj, East Delhi, where the AQI was 488, slow-moving vehicles with headlights on were the only sign of life through the thick smog according to the visuals. According to CPCB’s AQI classification, 401-500 AQI band falls under the ‘severe’ category, which is dangerous even for healthy people. It is recommended not to do any outdoor activities, especially walking and exercising in the morning, as the long-term exposure could lead to serious respiratory and heart diseases. Besides authorities, the public is also advised to continuously monitor the situation. They should be Children, the elderly, and people suffering from respiratory diseases should remain indoors and follow the safety guidelines.
