Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog this morning. The air quality index (AQI) in the National Capital Region reached 361, falling into the ‘very poor’ category. This reading was taken at 7 am.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) reported that R K Puram had the worst air quality, with an AQI of 398. Nearby areas like Sonia Vihar, Anand Vihar, and Burari also recorded AQIs above 395. A total of 36 monitoring stations reported AQIs above 300.
To understand air quality levels, here are the AQI categories:
- 0 to 50: Good
- 51 to 100: Satisfactory
- 101 to 200: Moderate
- 201 to 300: Poor
- 301 to 400: Very Poor
- 401 to 450: Severe
- Above 450: Severe Plus
Every year, firecrackers are set off in Delhi, ignoring the ban. This practice leads to a spike in PM2.5 and PM10 levels. As a result, the 24-hour average air quality deteriorates.
On October 14, the Delhi government announced a complete ban on firecrackers. This included manufacturing, storage, sale, and online delivery. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai warned that pollution levels could rise due to Diwali and the stubble burning season happening at the same time.
Despite the ban, reports indicate widespread violations in east and west Delhi. Firecrackers lit up the sky in areas like Jaunapur, Punjabi Bagh, Burari, and East of Kailash.
Meanwhile, Mumbai also experienced poor air quality, with an AQI of 172, which falls in the ‘moderate’ category. Out of 22 monitoring stations in Mumbai, nine recorded AQIs in the ‘poor’ category. Colaba in Navy Nagar had the worst AQI at 305, followed by Sewri at 284. Other areas like Kandivali, Malad (West), and Mindspace reported AQIs ranging from 220 to 252.
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