NEW DELHI: Pollution levels in Delhi marginally dipped on Tuesday morning and were recorded in the “very poor” category after five consecutive days of severe air quality.
The national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 394, a marginal improvement from 421 recorded at 4 pm on Monday.
Despite a marginal dip, the concentration of PM2.5 – fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems – exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times in the capital.
It was 30 to 40 times the healthy limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre set by the World Health Organisation.
Several cities in neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have also reported hazardous air quality. Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 338, Gurugram 364, Noida 348, Greater Noida 439 and Faridabad 382.
The Delhi government on Monday announced the return of its flagship odd-even scheme after four years, anticipating further deterioration of air quality post-Diwali. The odd-even scheme allows cars to operate on alternate days based on their odd or even number plates.
To protect the health of schoolchildren, the government also decided to suspend in-person classes in all schools, except for students in grades X and XII preparing for board exams, until November 10.
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi-NCR, the region is likely to experience severe air quality for another five to six days.
Breathing in the polluted air of Delhi is equivalent to the harmful effects of smoking approximately 10 cigarettes a day, said Rajesh Chawla, senior consultant in pulmonology and critical care at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.
The doctor said prolonged exposure to high levels of pollution can cause or exacerbate respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and can dramatically raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.