Delhi's air quality nears 'severe' zone
October 29, 2022 11:40Representational image
A layer of pungent haze lingered over Delhi on Saturday morning as the city's air quality neared the "severe" zone amid adverse meteorological conditions -- low temperatures and calm winds -- and an increase in incidents of stubble burning in Punjab.
The overall air quality index of Delhi stood at 396 at 10 am, worsening from 357 at 4 pm on Friday.
It was 354 on Thursday, 271 on Wednesday, 302 on Tuesday and 312 on Monday (Diwali). Anand Vihar (AQI 454) was the most polluted place in the capital.
Wazirpur (439), Narela (423), Ashok Vihar (428), Vivek Vihar (427) and Jahangirpuri (438) were among the monitoring stations that recorded "severe" air quality.
The air quality in the neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (381), Noida (392), Greater Noida (398), Gurugram (360) and Faridabad (391) also inched closer to the "severe" category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the concentration of lung-damaging fine particles known as PM2.5 was above 400 micrograms per cubic metre at 10 am, around seven times the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre, in many areas.
The India meteorological department said calm winds prevailed at night.
Moderate wind speed (up to 8 kmph) is predicted during the day, it added. -- PTI