Delhi pollution: Haze blankets national capital as air quality remains ‘severe’

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, as per SAFAR, had 25 per cent share in PM2.5 levels in Delhi Tuesday. Punjab has registered the highest number of such cases at 48,683 so far.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: November 13, 2019 09:26 AM IST

2 min read

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Heavy air pollution in Delhi on Wednesday. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey/File)

Delhi continued to reel under heavy pollution with the air quality plummeting to ‘severe’ category yet again on Wednesday. A thick blanket of haze has engulfed the city as the air quality index (AQI) stood at hazardous levels of 467 at 8 am, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

Factors such as low surface level windspeed, higher share of external pollutants and low temperatures are being attributed to the present weather conditions.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, as per SAFAR, had 25 per cent share in PM2.5 levels in Delhi Tuesday. Punjab has registered the highest number of such cases at 48,683 so far.

Pollution control bodies had stated that the situation was being closely monitored and further action would be taken if air quality dips to ‘Severe+’ or ‘Emergency’ category.

READ | Farm fires have 25% share as pollution reaches severe level

SAFAR categorises AQI for particulate matter 2.5 in the 0-50 range as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.

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