Delhi gasps for clean air as air quality remains 'severe' for fifth consecutive day

Delhi residents faced heavy smog on Monday as the national capital continued to remain in the 'severe' air quality index category for the fifth consecutive day on Monday.

The Air Quality Index was at 472 in the 'severe' category at ITO. Air Quality Index (AQI) is at 484 in Anand Vihar, 470 in Mundka, 465 Okhla Phase 2 and 468 in Wazirpur, all in 'severe category', as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

At Delhi's IIT, the AQI was recorded at 476, 433 in Ayanagar and 489 at Mathura Road. NCR areas also recorded severe AQI with 527 in Noida and 439 in Gurugram.

Stubble fires continued to be reported in Punjab and nearby regions. According to SAFAR, stubble fire counts over Punjab, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand and neighbouring areas stood high at 3,780 on Saturday and its share in PM 2.5 in Delhi's air was estimated as 29 per cent for Sunday. It was estimated as 32 per cent for Saturday.

The average 24-hour AQI at 4 pm on Sunday was 434 in Gurgaon, 456 in Ghaziabad, 440 in Greater Noida, 428 in Noida and 426 in Faridabad, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

With Diwali around the corner, the Delhi Government had already banned the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the city to prevent further deterioration of air quality.

Air Quality between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe or hazardous. If experts are to be believed, people with breathing problems should prefer to work from home to avoid further deterioration of lungs.

A resident living near Okhla told ANI, "Being an asthmatic patient, it is getting difficult for me to breathe in this city. The situation gets worse in the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, I prefer to work from home."