Delhi's air toxicity 14 times above limit, higher than Beijing's

New Delhi: Pollution levels in the national capital continued to soar further with the latest report showing the air toxicity is 14 times above safety benchmark.

As per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the capital's air is 3 to 14 times more polluted than the prescribed limits, says a report from The Hindu.

At Anand Vihar, the particulate matter (PM 10 and 2.5) was recorded at 14 times the limit, seven times the limit at RK Puram and four times the limit at Punjabi Bagh, according to DPCC’s 24- hour real-time air quality monitoring data.

On Tuesday, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI), which has stayed around 330, was higher than Beijing’s according to the Central Pollution Control Board although the two AQIs are not directly comparable.

Delhi’s air has been oscillating between “severe and very poor” in the Indian system with heavy smog enveloping the city all day and visibility dropping sharply after dark.

Meanwhile, China's capital Beijing had on Monday issued its first 'red alert' to combat air pollution, closing schools and construction sites and restricting the number of cars on the road.