A thick layer of smog covered Delhi and its adjoining areas this morning as pollution levels slipped to "severe" category again after a marginal improvement on Wednesday.
Delhi's air quality index or AQI stands at 426 as a result of farm fires in the neighbouring states and vehicular emissions. Unfavourable meteorological conditions have also contributed to pollution in the national capital.
The air quality index (AQI) between 401 and 500 is categorised as severe, the worst band on the index.
As Delhi is forced to breathe the toxic air, several residents have reported breathing difficulties, with the elderly and schoolchildren being the worst hit.
Medical experts say prolonged exposure to toxic air, especially during the morning, can lead to serious health problems.
A leading private school, The Shri Ram School, has suspended physical classes at its branches in Delhi and Haryana for tomorrow in view of the deteriorating air quality. The school will be conducting online classes tomorrow.
The physical classes will resume on campus from Monday and N95 masks will be mandatory for both students and the staff, the school said.
Sources say more schools may do the same. This comes a day after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to shut schools till air quality improves.
Parents, however, say the authorities should adopt long-term measures to tackle city's rising pollution instead of shutting schools. "Closing schools is not a solution, the government should do something to tackle pollution," a woman told NDTV.
"Our children are struggling to breathe, but the government should not shut the schools. They should take steps to improve the air quality. The kids already suffered when the schools were shut during the pandemic," another parent said.
The 24-hour AQI of the city stood at 376 yesterday, improving from 424 on Tuesday.
The AQI between 401 and 500 is categorized as severe, the worst band on the index. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor".
Experts say the air quality in Delhi is worst between November 1 and November 15 because the stubble burning is at peak during this period.
Smoke from farm fires contributed to up to 38 per cent of the tiny PM 2.5 lung-damaging pollutants in the city's air - the highest in the past two years during the period of mid-October to early November, according to data from the Ministry of Earth Science.
PM 2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream.
Delhi weather today took a dramatic turn, with rain and cold winds combining to create a chilly Friday morning.
Anti-Pollution Measures (GRAP-4) Revoked In Delhi As Air Quality Improves
On Monday morning, at 6am, Delhi recorded 410 Air Quality Index (AQI), falling under the 'severe' category.
Delhi's air quality deteriorated on Sunday with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching the 'severe' category at 409 at 4 pm, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
The Bombay High Court on Friday said pollution-free environment was a constitutional right, and pulled up the Maharashtra government and other authorities for their failure to tackle the issue of air pollution.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Opinion | Why Indians Have Just Given Up On Air Pollution CrisisTanushree Ganguly
Friday December 20, 2024While some may argue that people in Delhi are now more aware of air pollution than they were a decade back, my rebuttal would be that awareness does not mean that people are concerned.
Opinion | You Must Outrage Over Filthy Air More Than Once A YearJyoti Pande Lavakare
Tuesday December 10, 2024Delhi welcomed us with monsoon rains and mangos. We were home. Fast forward a couple of years, in the winter of 2012, I found myself in denial about something other parents, mostly expats, were calling toxic air.
Opinion | Delhi's Air Pollution Situation Is Like A Bad MarriageNishtha Gautam
Friday November 22, 2024On a good day, such as today, the AQI reading in Delhi is 407. We are jubilant at the sickly sunshine trickling through the slightly dissipated smog. At least its not 1600.
दिवाली... पराली... सियासी जुगाली!Ashwini kumar
Monday November 18, 2024दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण का समाधान तो आज तक मिला नहीं. हर साल चिंतित होकर हम-आप सांसों की तकलीफ के साथ-साथ दिल और ब्लड प्रेशर के मरीज भी क्यों बनें?
घर में कैद बुजुर्ग और हांफते लोग, दिल्ली की सांसों में घुला ये कैसा रोग?Nidhi Kulpati
Friday November 08, 2024हमारी हवा जहरीली हो रही है. गुरुवार की शाम को जब मैं इस मुद्दे पर लिखने बैठी तो AQI लगातार 400 पार जाकर दम घोंट रहा था. बहुत लोगों को यह मामला बोरिंग लगे, लेकिन जब आप अपने साथ काम करने वालों को खांसते-हांफते देखते-सुनते हैं, तो चिंता होने लगती है. सुबह उठते ही दरवाजे खिड़कियां खोलने के लिए डॉक्टर मना कर रहे हैं. बड़े बुजुर्गों के लिए तो मॉर्निंग वॉक बाहर की दुनिया से सीधे संपर्क का ज़रिया है, लेकिन डॉक्टर इसकी भी मनाही कर रहे हैं.