The air pollution level in India’s capital city New Delhi on Monday, November 12, 2018 continued to be in the severe category, officials said.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall air quality index (AQI) remained in very poor category at 381.
“The AQI in Delhi at 9 a.m. (local time) today was recorded at 381, the air quality is severe and prominent pollutants are PM 2.5 and PM 10,’’ data released by CPCB said.
Health officials said very poor air quality would causes respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.
On Sunday, the air quality remained in the severe category at 405.
The air quality plunged into “severe-plus emergency” category on Thursday, night after Hindu festival of Diwali.
A thick blanket of smoke engulfed the city and outskirts Thursday and people complained of difficulty in breathing and itching in the eyes.
The air quality worsened because of the rampant bursting of toxic fireworks despite Supreme Court ban.
Authorities, to contain the pollution levels, have banned entry of trucks in the city and already ordered a halt on all construction activities involving excavation with its limits.
Meanwhile, the government official in neighbouring Haryana state on Sunday said it was unfair to blame its farmers for Delhi’s poor air quality.
“In 2017, farm waste was burnt on just 2% of the total sown area of paddy, and the figure further fell to 1 per cent this year.
“However, it is being projected as if our farmers are burning farm waste in each and every field,’’ an official release quoted Haryana Chief Secretary D S Dhesi as saying at an event in Hisar.
Report says air pollution continues to worsen in New Delhi especially during winter months.
