Delhi's air quality worsens despite cracker ban on Diwali

New Delhi: The air quality in Delhi was recorded in the "hazardous" category at Janpath in the city early on Friday, a day after the celebrations of Diwali. The particulate matter (PM) 2.5 concentration was recorded at 655.07 in Janpath on Friday morning, according to news agency ANI. As per government standards, PM 2.5 concentrations over 380 are marked as "severe."

People from several parts of the city and its suburbs complained of itchy throat and watery eyes, as a layer of smog, the first episode this season, enveloped the environment, reported PTI.

Even before the bursting of crackers, the air quality of the Delhi-NCR region had started worsening further as AQI of eight cities had crossed the 400-mark and settled at the "severe" category on Thursday afternoon.

At 4 p.m on Thursday, AQI at ITO, Rohini, DTU Delhi, Dwarka, Mandir Marg, and Najafgarh stood under the "very poor" category. However, at 9 p.m., it deteriorated to "severe".

AQI of Anand Vihar in the evening was recorded at 412 and by the night increased to 439, in Alipur, it went from 426 to 444, Dwarka (410 to 427), Bawana (432 to 449), Chandini Chowk (401 to 435), Jahangirpuri (463-469), Patparganj (404-432), and Wazirpur (441-450).

According to health experts, an AQI of such an extent may cause respiratory impact even on healthy people, and serious health impacts on people with lung or heart disease. The health impact may be experienced even during light physical activity

With stubble burning share in Delhi's air pollution set to increase over the next three days, SAFAR has projected an AQI of 500 plus on November 5 even if Delhiites burst 50 per cent less crackers compared to last year.

SAFAR, or the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) - an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences - said as per sensitivity simulation, stubble share on November 4 is predicted to increase to 20 per cent and will touch a peak of 35-40 per cent on November 5 and 6, if fire counts are considered same (3,500-4,000). This is largely due to transport-level winds reaching Delhi from North-Westerly, where stubble burning large hot spots are expected, it said.