New Delhi:
There is no respite to Delhiites as dense smog continues to engulf the national capital and adjoining areas on Sunday morning.
According to data released by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting & Research (SAFAR): PM 10 levels in Delhi's Lodhi Road area at 560, PM 2.5 at 625; PM 10 levels in Noida at 551, PM 2.5 levels at 541; all fall in 'severe' category.
Air Quality Index (AQI) on Saturday was recorded as follows: Mandir Marg at 326, Anand Vihar at 430, Siri Fort at 316, Dwarka at 327, and Shadipur at 331 in the 'Hazardous' category.
Vikas Sadan Gurugram at 330 'Hazardous', and Sector16A Faridabad at 204 'Very Unhealthy.'
The air quality index (AQI) recorded on Friday at 7.30 am was 483, a small drop from Thursday’s average of 486. As the day rose, the IMD recording 484 in Delhi, 498 in Ghaziabad, Noida 485 and Gurgaon 485.
The AQI ranges from 0-500. IMD marks 500 as the worst possible air quality. According to IMD officials Delhi and surrounding cities remain to be severe.
People at large are of the opinion that it is tough to breathe and the situation needs to be fixed soon even as many were seen wearing masks.
Entry of trucks and heavy vehicles has been barred into Delhi in view of high levels of air pollution.
On Saturday Delhi’s air quality worsened and entered the ‘emergency’ category, dashing hopes of recovery generated during the morning hours when the level of pollutants showed a steady drop.
The dramatic reversal in the situation, hours after the government announced that levels of ultrafine particulates PM2.5 and PM10 had seen a reduction, caught people and weather scientists unaware.
Also read: Smog menace: Air Quality Index in Delhi-NCR records ‘hazardous,’ ‘very unhealthy'
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