AQI Above 500: Air Delhiites Are Breathing Now Is Equivalent to Smoking 49 Cigarettes A Day

Delhi AQI: Delhi residents are breathing in air so toxic that it’s equivalent to smoking 49 cigarettes daily. As of November 18, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached above 500, highest it has been in recent memory.

Since end of October, air quality in Delhi has been rapidly deteriorating, with multiple factors contributing to crisis, including burning of stubble in nearby states, firecrackers, and industrial pollution.

AQI level of 805 is classified as "severe" with experts warning of significant health risks, especially for children, elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.

According to online air quality tracker AQI.in, an AQI of 805 is equivalent to smoking 49.02 cigarettes a day. This means that, for every 24 hours spent outdoors in Delhi’s current conditions, residents are inhaling same amount of harmful particulate matter found in nearly 50 cigarettes, putting m at serious risk of respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and long-term lung damage.

Supreme Court steps in

Supreme Court on Monday directed all states to suspend physical classes for students up to class 12 in view of severe pollution in Delhi-NCR. Court me it clear that all classes up to 12th will be taught only in online mode. Supreme Court Justice Sr v Gopal S said, “ lungs of 10th and 12th students cannot be different than or students. If a direction can be given to stop those physical classes as well.”

Supreme Court furr ded that all states should take an immediate call to stop physical classes of all standards up to class 12.

Court urged states to take immediate action to halt in-person learning for all standards, reiterating that online classes should be norm until pollution levels improve. Court also criticised Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for waiting on wear conditions inste of implementing Gred Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures promptly. It directed that restrictions under stage 4 of GRAP should remain in effect even if Air Quality Index (AQI) dips below 450.

ditionally, Supreme Court instructed all NCR states to form teams to strictly enforce GRAP stage 4 restrictions and create a mechanism to handle complaints about violations.
SC Questions Delhi Government on Delayed GRAP-4 Implementation

Earlier, in day Supreme Court also questioned Delhi government over delay in implementation of stricter anti-pollution measures under GRAP-4, and said it will not allow scaling down of preventive measures without its prior permission.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih pointed out that re was a delay in implementation of preventive measures under stage 4 of Gred Response Action Plan (GRAP) even after Air Quality Index (AQI) touched alarming levels in national capital.

At outset, counsel for Delhi government informed bench that stage 4 of GRAP has been implemented from Monday and heavy vehicles have been banned from entering national capital.
Court Stresses Immediate Action to Prevent Risk

“ moment AQI reaches between 300 and 400, stage 4 has to be invoked. How can you take risk in se matters by delaying applicability of stage 4 of GRAP,” bench told counsel.
It told state government that court wants to know what steps it has taken to curb alarming rise of pollution level.

"We won’t allow scaling down of preventive measures under stage 4 even if AQI goes below 450. Stage 4 will continue till court permits," bench said, ding it will hear matter in detail at end of day’s work.

What Delhi govt has to say? 

dressing a press conference, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleged that BJP -led central government has been doing politics over issue of pollution but has taken no step to check stubble burning in states like Haryana , Rajasthan , Uttar Presh and Mhya Presh -- all ruled by saffron party.

Lauding AAP-ruled Punjab , she said it is only state where cases of stubble burning have come down significantly. In BJP-ruled states, y have gone up, she claimed.

As Delhi's air quality worsened to "Severe Plus" category, tighter pollution control measures came into effect on Monday morning, including a ban on truck entry and suspension of construction activities at public projects.

re has been a rise in sale of air purifiers.

Vijendra Mohan, owner of Air Expert India, a dealership shop in Indrapuram, reported a surge in air purifier sales following severe air pollution levels.

"We have seen a remarkable increase in demand, with daily sales jumping from 20 to 40 units per day, especially after Diwali . Previously, we'd sell around 20 purifiers per day. Now, we are selling around 40 air purifiers per day," he said.

According to an order issued by CAQM on Sunday, no trucks will be allowed in Delhi except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric).

Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will also be prohibited, except for EVs and CNG, and BS-VI diesel ones.

Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles are banned except for those in essential services, order said.

All construction activities, including highways, ros, flyovers, power lines, pipelines and or public projects, have been suspended.

CAQM recommended that offices in NCR work at 50 per cent capacity, with rest working from home.

Delhi government asked all schools to discontinue physical classes for all students, except those in classes 10 and 12, from Monday.

An AQI of 400 or higher is deemed 'severe' and it can have an verse effect on both healthy individuals and people who alrey have medical conditions.

First implemented in 2017, GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in capital and its vicinity according to severity of situation.

It classifies air quality in Delhi-NCR under four different stages: Stage 1 - 'poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage 2 - 'very poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage 3 - 'severe' (AQI 401-450) and Stage 4 - 'severe plus' (AQI above 450).

ditionally, dense toxic smog caused visibility to drop sharply in morning. According to officials, visibility at Safdarjung airport was 150 metres.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius, 3.9 degrees above normal. maximum temperature is expected to settle at 27 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).