Delhi air pollution: AQI cross 'hazardous' 600 mark, visibility drops

A thick blanket of smog engulfed several parts of Delhi on Sunday morning pushing its air pollution levels into hazardous territory. Visibility dropped significantly in national capital as pollutants hovered in atmosphere. tably, for first time in this season, Air Quality Index (AQI) docked as high as 625 at 10 am despite light drizzles in early hours.

READ | Javadekar Hits Out At Kejriwal For 'politicising' Pollution In Delhi

An AQI between 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401-500 "severe". Above 500 is "severe-plus emergency" category. AQI recorded in Dhirpur was 509, while Delhi University saw a reading of 591. Chandni Chowk area recorded an AQI of 432 while in Lodhi road it was 537.

READ | Share Of Stubble Burning In Delhi's Pollution Down To 17 Pc From 44 Pc

Delhi's satellite cities of ida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh also saw ir air quality deteriorate beyond hazardous 600 marks. People residing in se areas complained of eye irritation and suffocation due to poor air quality. "We are athletes and have most of events in winter seasons. This thick smog is affecting our health making it difficult to brea in poisous air. government must do something about it," said Prashant Shukla, a local from Ghaziabad. Mukul Sharma, ar resident of Ghaziabad said, "I am coughing too much se days. I do t kw how to safeguard myself from increasing air pollution. government must tighten ose around stubble burning."

Construction ban in ida

Meanwhile,  ida Authority conducted checking at various construction sites in Gautam Budh Nagar area and arrested 27 people for flouting construction ban. " construction is banned in ida from vember 1 to 5. We have conducted checking at sector 75, 35 and 72. We have arrested 27 people for flouting ban. We will continue to conduct checks at construction sites," said an official from ida Authority.

READ | Delhi: Public Reacts To Deteriorating Air Quality Due To Pollution

Government response

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Friday anunced a string of measures aimed at curbing ar pollution. This includes reintroduction of  Odd-Even scheme from vember 4 to 15, 2019 and staggered office timings for government offices. Kejriwal has also asked Capt Amarinder Singh government in Punjab and Mahar Khattar government in Haryana to do more to combat rampant stubble burning in ir state.

(With ANI inputs)

READ | IMD Predicts Rainfall In Delhi After v 6 Amid Hazardous Air Quality