Delhiites woke up to a hazy morning on Saturday as the city’s air quality once again dropped into the ‘poor’ category, with several monitoring stations recording worrying pollution levels. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) near Akshardham recorded 230, whereas the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium registered 252. On Friday, the capital’s overall AQI reached 367, putting it in the very ‘very poor’ range. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 370, Wazirpur (328), Akshardham (369), and Jahangirpuri (324).
Pollution-related illness
Dr Sharad Joshi, a Pulmonologist from Ghaziabad, said that the rise in the AQI levels has happened because of a “mix of crop residue burning, festive fireworks and vehicle exhaust,’’ leading to the higher concentrations of particulate matter, news agency ANI reported.
“These pollutants deteriorate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, COPD, or a history of tuberculosis, breathlessness, coughing and chest pain,’’ he further explained. He also warned that even healthy individuals, especially children and the elderly, may experience respiratory issues because of low immunity.
He also advised residents to opt for carpooling, improve indoor ventilation, use air purifiers, and maintain vehicle emission standards. Vulnerable groups are advised to continue taking their prescribed medicines and wear N95 masks outdoors.
Delhi weather forecast for October 18
As per the India Meteorological Department, the national capital will experience mist or haze in the morning hours and mainly clear sky is projected through Saturday. The maximum temperature is likely to hover between 32 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius, whereas the minimum may range from 18 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. The IMD predicted that the overall weather pattern is expected to remain dry over the weekend.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has implemented Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) after Delhi-NCR’s AQI declined to 211 earlier this week.