Delhi breathes poison as air quality falls to 'severe' in several areas

IANS Photo

New Delhi: The air quality over the National Capital Region (NCR) fell into the 'severe' category in at least eight areas on Tuesday evening even as Met officials predicted weather pattern to further worsen the situation.

Areas like Ashok Vihar, Mundaka, Narela and Wazirpur had the worst air quality, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).  The overall air quality (in terms of PM2.5) in the city was 360 - ten times over the safe limit prescribed by the World Health Organisation. In adjoining Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida, the air quality was equally bad.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has said that situation is likely to only worsen because the prevailing weather condition and negligible wind speeds would ensure pollutants remain trapped.

While stubble farm burning in the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana have often been blamed for Delhi's pollution woes, many in these two states are now questioning why the capital city is still experiencing severe pollution although the farm burnings have ceased.

Meanwhile, the proposal to create artificial rain too is unlikely to take off. Union minister Mahesh Sharma had said the idea could be turned into reality if the pollution levels worsen but some reports suggest permission for flying an airplane to create artificial rain has not yet been received from Directorate General of Civil Aviation. At the ground level, the infamous political slugfest over the matter continues unabated.

On Tuesday, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari once again used the issue of pollution to attack the AAP government.

Civic agencies too are proving to be ineffective, as communicated by CPCB to the Supreme Court. As a result, choking locals in Delhi and adjoining areas remain at the mercy of weather conditions alone.