Poor air quality has made the residents of the national capital region start the new year wary of toxic outdoors. Pollution levels remained high in several parts of Delhi as well as surrounding cities with Gurugram facing the worst with AQI at 529.
The Air Quality Index on Tuesday showed several parts in the ‘severe category’. While the PM 2.5 levels for Gurugram was at 529, Delhi choked with a PM 2.5 level of 421, showed the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data.
Areas with the worst air quality, lying in ‘severe category’ were Mathura road at 488, Pusa at 425, Delhi University at 410, Lodhi Road at 410, IIT Delhi at 402 and Ayanagar at 416. In neighbouring Noida, the AQI showed a similar ‘severe’ level of 458.
As per the AQI table, 401 to 500 level is categorised as ‘severe’ with 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’ and 0 to 50 as ‘good’.
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Delhi, India’s national capital, was the country’s most polluted city in 2022 as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Delhi’s PM 2.5 levels were over twice the safe limit. The national capital also had the third highest average figure for PM10 concentration.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has enforced a temporary ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the national capital from Tuesday. The ban is expected to be in place till Friday (January 13).
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(With inputs from IANS)
