Pollution in Delhi increases, air quality `severe` at several places

New Delhi: Winds blowing in from Punjab and Haryana – where crop burning continues unabated – has worsened the air quality in Delhi-NCR.

Despite numerous warnings by a green court and environmental authorities, crop burning has reached unprecedented levels, causing the air quality to deteriorate further.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Technical University (DTU) in north Delhi, ITO in central Delhi, Anand Vihar in west Delhi and areas in Ghaziabad and Noida had a 'severe' air quality Index by 2:00 pm on Monday.

The average PM2.5 or particles with diameter less than 2.5mm – the major pollutant – was 14 times the safe limit by afternoon in Delhi, with average AQI 358 considered very poor.

Pusa in central Delhi was the area with the cleanest air in the national capital with AQI at 'poor' and

average PM2.5 recorded at 117 units – four times the safe limit.

At ITO, AQI was 403 at 2:00 pm with PM2.5 ranging 307-500 units from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; at Anand Vihar it was 427 with PM2.5 ranging 308-500 units; Vasundhara in Ghaziabad had AQI of 444 with PM2.5 ranging 316-500 units and Sector 125 in Noida had AQI of 420 with PM2.5 ranging 318-500 units.

The safe range for PM2.5 is 60 microgrammes per cubic meter as per Indian standards and 25 units as per International norms.

The CPCB's data from other 13 monitoring stations across Delhi recorded 'ver poor' AQI ranging from 304 at Aya Nagar to 396 at Punjabi Bagh.

"Currently Delhi is receiving north-westerly winds coming from Punjab and Haryana, this will continue for at least next two days days," Mahesh Palawat, director private weather forecaster Skymet, told IANS.

Air pollution in Delhi-NCR has risen post Diwali. While SAFAR has previously warned of further deterioration despite the 'severe' levels, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also asked called for strict monitoring of crop burning in Punjab and Haryana.

(With IANS inputs)