Hold your breath: Delhi’s air quality at a new low after Diwali

Anand vihar area after air pollution levels spiked in Delhi the morning after Diwali. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

People woke up to smog with visibility up to 200 metres. According to air quality monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board, PM 2.5 in Delhi went up to 999 in the US Embassy area and 702 in Anand Vihar.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi

Akshardham mandir area after air pollution levels spiked in Delhi the morning after Diwali. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

Air pollution across the country went up to alarmingly high levels amid Diwali celebrations on Sunday and the morning after.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi

Gazi pur area the morning after Diwali when air pollution levels spiked in Delhi. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

In R K Puram, PM 2.5 went up to 643 micrograms which is almost ten times the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metres and PM 10 stood at 999 micrograms per cubic metres which is also way more than the safe limit of 100 micrograms.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi

Akshardham mandir area in Delhi the morning after Diwali. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

In Mumbai, PM 2.5 went up to the hazardous level of 494. System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier said that particulate matter in the air in Mumbai was expected to increase this Diwali, leading to a worse air pollution level than last year.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi

Gazi pur area the morning after Diwali in Delhi after air pollution levels spiked in the city. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

In Pune’s Shivajinagar area, maximum value for PM 2.5 and PM 10 was found to be 400 and 268 respectively.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi

Akshardham mandir area in Delhi the morning after Diwali. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

The conditions were worse in Ahmedabad where PM 2.5 stood at 999, which is almost 15 times more than the safe limit. Lucknow wasnt far behind when it came to severe Air Quality Index.

Read more Diwali effect: Pollution worsens, particulate matter soars in Delhi