Hold your breath: Pollution levels spike, smog thickens in Delhi

According to the environment ministry’s Air Quality Index (AQI), PM 10 was the most prominent pollutant in Anand Vihar, and its levels were in the “severe” range.

The AQI data revealed that PM 2.5 was the prominent pollutant in at least three stations — R K Puram, Punjabi Bagh and NSIT Dwarka — and was in the “severe” range of 401-500 micrograms per cubic metre on Saturday evening. According to the AQI, this range of pollutants “affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases”. In Shadipur, where PM 2.5 was again the prominent pollutant, its levels were in the “very poor” range of 301-400 and this could lead to “respiratory illness on prolonged exposure,” according to the AQI.

Suspended particulate matter like PM 2.5 and PM 10, once inhaled, have the potential to cause severe damage to the respiratory system, warn doctors.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday urged people not to turn the festival of light into a “festival of smoke”. “On this occasion of happiness, I want to make an appeal. Our Delhi is struggling with an acute problem of air pollution, which assumes dangerous proportions on Diwali due to the bursting of fireworks and crackers. This has a detrimental effect on the health of people living here, particularly children and senior citizens. Keeping this in mind, please try not to burst fireworks and crackers. Let us not convert the festival of lights into a festival of smoke,” said Kejriwal.

The air quality monitoring stations of System of Air Quality and weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, showed the average PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels at 272 and 330 respectively, which fall under the “very poor” category.

As the day progressed, the capital also came under a blanket of thick smog, a phenomenon scientists at the IMD attributed to multiple factors, including increased moisture levels due to recent western disturbances, burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states and local emissions. The levels of Benzene, a compound associated with cancer and other health problems, also spiked at Anand Vihar and residential areas like Civil Lines and R K Puram, as per the readings of Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

The smog cover will continue till early next week, believe scientists. “The situation is likely to continue till November 9. After that, there is a possibility of western disturbance, which will disperse the pollutants to some extent. But the situation is also due to the recent showers, which introduced a lot of moisture in the air,” said a senior IMD official.

On Friday as well as Saturday, many traffic police personnel posted across the capital were observed wearing protective masks.
“Pollution has been a problem and a lot has been done to educate traffic personnel about it. We have started providing free protective masks,” said Muktesh Chander, special commissioner of police (traffic).