Delhi-NCR chokes as air quality reaches 'severe' category, AQI crosses 500-mark in Delhi

Delhi-NCR continues to reel under heavy air pollution, even before the beginning of the Diwali celebrations. Air Quality Index (AQI), for the second consecutive day remained at 'severe' category.

Delhi on Thursday recorded the worst air quality index since November 14, 2019 as the AQI level at several places remained above 500. 

All the 36 monitoring stations recorded the air quality in the 'severe' category.

The highest AQI was recorded in the area near IIT Delhi at 563. The overall pollution level in Delhi was recorded at 486 which includes other pollutants besides PM 2.5 particles. 

On Thursday itself, the national capital recorded the concentration of poisonous PM2.5 particles at 14 times over the World Health Organisation safe limit. 

Noida is witnessing worst pollution levels with AQI going up to 610 as per SAFAR data. The Noida Authority on Thursday said it has slapped penalties worth Rs 2.63 lakh on entities that were found violating anti-air pollution guidelines. Gurugram recorded AQI at 462 on Friday. 

The pollution level in Delhi-NCR on Friday broke the record of this season. For the last 48 hours, the condition of Delhi-NCR has deteriorated to the extent that its becoming difficult to breathe. Due to heavy smog in Delhi the Sun has been engulfed. 

The Air Quality Early Warning System under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) had said air quality started worsening significantly after 10:00 am on Wednesday due to strong subsidence and accumulation of pollutants.

The minimum temperature on Thursday increased to 12.1 degrees C, as compared to 10.6 degrees C on the previous day.

Lucknow also witnessed AQI level above the 350-mark.

An 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'.

Stubble burning accounted for 40 per cent of Delhi's pollution on Sunday, the maximum so far this season.

Last year, the farm fire contribution to Delhi's pollution had peaked to 44 per cent on Nov 1, according to SAFAR data.