Air quality in Delhi dips to ‘severe’ category

NEW DELHI: The air quality of the national capital on Tuesday entered the "severe" category as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city crossed 400, according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), and will remain the same on Wednesday also.

The Narela area recorded PM 2.5 level at 448 on Tuesday evening. With air quality dipping in the city, there is a rise in carbon monoxide (CO) levels in some areas across the city, posing a threat to children and senior citizens.

The severe category of air quality calls for health warnings of emergency conditions and even serious risk of respiratory effects in the general public. The AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".

In Pusa, the AQI was recorded at 426 "severe" category while PM 10 was reported at 341 under "very poor" category. At Lodhi Road, the Air Quality Index with PM 2.5 concentration was at 376 under the "very poor" category and the PM 10 stood at 305 under the "very poor" category. In Ayanagar, the PM 2.5 was at 406, or "severe" category while the PM 10 reached 404, also in "severe" category.

The Air Quality Index at the city's Mathura Road was also under the "severe" category with PM 2.5 at 416 and PM 10 concentration at 421 also under the "severe" category.

According to the forecast from SAFAR, the air quality of the city will deteriorate further under "severe" category with PM 2.5 reaching 412 and PM 10 concentration at 426 also under "severe" category on Wednesday.

However, the Air Quality Index of Delhi's neighbouring cities of Noida stood at 467 under "severe" category and the PM 10 concentration at 342 under "very poor" category, while Gurugram's AQI was reported at 393 under the "very poor" category and the PM 10 concentration at 287 under "poor" category.