A dense layer of smog engulfed Delhi and the surrounding regions of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on Wednesday morning. This has caused a significant drop in the visibility of the region.
The air quality index was in the ‘severe’ category breaching the 400 mark. Meanwhile, Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad were in the ‘Poor’ category. Faridabad’s AQI at 188 was ‘Moderate’.
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The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data has shown the average AQI in Delhi’s Anand Vihar was 393 at 5 am on Wednesday. According to Swiss group IQAir’s live rating, the AQI in Delhi was 1133 (hazardous), with PM2.5 as the main pollutant.
The smog which was combined with shallow to moderate fog and mist has led to reduced visibility during the morning hours. The experts have predicted the hazy conditions to persist into the evening and night, further impacting visibility and increasing health risks for residents, especially those facing respiratory issues.
The air quality has remained a major concern all over the Indo-Gangetic Plains, with three Bihar cities, two Haryana cities, and Chandigarh featuring among the top 10 polluted places in the country on Wednesday.
Many parts of Punjab and Haryana also has recorded in the ‘poor’ category while Chandigarh recorded ‘very poor’ on Tuesday.
In Haryana, the AQI was 291 in Kaithal, 272 in Jind, 267 in Panchkula, 240 in Sonipat, 236 in Bahadurgarh, 217 in Kurukshetra, 205 in Gurugram and 202 in Yamunanagar.
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The second stage of the Graded Response Action Plan remains in force in the national capital, which entails mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads, and implementation of dust control measures at construction and demolition sites.
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 good”, 401 and 450 “severe” and above 450 “severe-plus”.