Just a day after Vijaya Dashami celebrations in the country’s capital, the air quality has deteriorated and reached harmful levels. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) 307 was recorded in the ITO.
On Monday (October 26), people faced breathing difficulties due to smog in the areas around India Gate, Akshardham and ITO.
Pollution levels reached extremely dangerous levels in Delhi’s Anand Parbat and Ashok Vihar areas. On Sunday, AQI 403 was recorded in Anand Parbat and 520 in Ashok Vihar. As per data from CPCB, the air quality index was in critical condition on Sunday in all areas except Delhi Cantt and Naraina.
In the adjoining districts of Ghaziabad and Noida, the air quality on Sunday evening reached ‘severe’ level. According to a government agency, the air quality in Gurgaon and Faridabad too was ‘very poor’. Air pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 have reached ‘severe’ category in four neighbouring districts of Delhi, CPCB said.
As per data, AQI was 416 in Loni area of Ghaziabad at 8 pm on Sunday night, 374 in Indirapuram, 354 in Sanjay Nagar and 330 in Vasundhara. While Noida recorded AQI 382 in Sector 116 and 363 in Sector 62 and 356 in Sector 1. AQI stood at 370 in Sector 51 in Gurgaon and 329 in Vikas Sadan, it was recorded at 366 in Sector 16A in Faridabad, 363 in Sector 30 and 319 in NIT.
An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe/hazardous.