Delhi: Air quality slips to 'very poor', worse days ahead

<p>The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy&nbsp;category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning.</p>

<p>Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the&nbsp;hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">According to the latest AQI data, Delhi's Anand Vihar is at 699(Hazardous) on Air Quality Index <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AQI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AQI</a> <a href="https://t.co/7f115dNBdb">pic.twitter.com/7f115dNBdb</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1050934636728213505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to a report, the air quality of Delhi is expected to further drop as winds coming from the northwestern side is likely to bring toxic pollutants from Haryana and Punjab as the crop burning has begun.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 17.5 degrees Celsius — the lowest minimum in seven years between October 1 and 15, officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.</p>

<p>According to IMD the maximum temperature to hit 33.0 Celsius in the day.</p>

<p>The air quality of north India worsens drastically every year during the winter months with smog covering the region due to the burning of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana in the months of October and November. According to reports, it is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring cities.</p>

<p>The national capital and its nearby cities become the worst affected areas every year when particles from stubble burning combine with industrial pollution, vehicular emission and dust due to construction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Imran Hussain expressed concern over the unabated stubble burning noticed in the neighbouring states.</p>

<p>Taking to his official Twitter handle, Hussain shared some pictures of burning crop residue in the state surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR), despite the prohibition on the same."It is a matter of deep concern that when such instances are visible even on the National Highway, what might be the situation in other areas of these states?" he tweeted.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning. Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307.

The air quality of Delhi worsened on Saturday and reached the unhealthy category as the national capital woke up to a slightly cold morning. Anand Vihar's air quality fell into the hazardous category at 407 while pollution reading at Punjabi Bagh stood at 307. According to the latest AQI data, Delhi's Anand Vihar is at 699(Hazardous) on Air Quality Index #AQI pic.twitter.com/7f115dNBdb — ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2018 × According to a report, the air quality of Delhi is expected to further drop as winds coming from the northwestern side is likely to bring toxic pollutants from Haryana and Punjab as the crop burning has begun. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 17.5 degrees Celsius — the lowest minimum in seven years between October 1 and 15, officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. According to IMD the maximum temperature to hit 33.0 Celsius in the day. The air quality of north India worsens drastically every year during the winter months with smog covering the region due to the burning of paddy straw in Punjab and Haryana in the months of October and November. According to reports, it is one of the major contributors to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring cities. The national capital and its nearby cities become the worst affected areas every year when particles from stubble burning combine with industrial pollution, vehicular emission and dust due to construction. On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Imran Hussain expressed concern over the unabated stubble burning noticed in the neighbouring states. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Hussain shared some pictures of burning crop residue in the state surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR), despite the prohibition on the same."It is a matter of deep concern that when such instances are visible even on the National Highway, what might be the situation in other areas of these states?" he tweeted.

Delhi air quality deteriorates; Anand Vihar in 'hazardous' category with 407 AQI

<p>Delhi's air quality turned 'good' Saturday, for the second time this year due to persistent monsoon that washed away pollutants from the air, according to authorities.</p>

<p>The overall Air Quality Index of New Delhi was recorded at 48 which falls under the "good" category, as per the data of the Central Pollution Control Board.</p>

<p>The improvement in air quality is due to incessant rains that have washed away pollutants from the air, a CPCB official said.</p>

<p>An AQI in the range of 0-50 is considered 'Good', 51-100 'Satisfactory', 101-200 'Moderate', 201-300 'Poor', 301-400 'Very Poor' and 401-500 'Severe'.</p>

<p>The PM10 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 10mm) was recorded as 'good' at 46 in Delhi-NCR and Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PM2.5 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 2.5 mm) was 23 in Delhi-NCR and 22 in Delhi on Friday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.</p>

<p>This is the second time this year that the quality of air fell in the 'good' category.</p>

<p>Earlier on July 28, the onset of monsoon in Delhi had cleansed the air, bringing it in the 'good' category.</p>


Delhi's air quality turned 'good' Saturday, for the second time this year due to persistent monsoon that washed away pollutants from the air, according to authorities.

Delhi's air quality turned 'good' Saturday, for the second time this year due to persistent monsoon that washed away pollutants from the air, according to authorities. The overall Air Quality Index of New Delhi was recorded at 48 which falls under the "good" category, as per the data of the Central Pollution Control Board. The improvement in air quality is due to incessant rains that have washed away pollutants from the air, a CPCB official said. An AQI in the range of 0-50 is considered 'Good', 51-100 'Satisfactory', 101-200 'Moderate', 201-300 'Poor', 301-400 'Very Poor' and 401-500 'Severe'. The PM10 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 10mm) was recorded as 'good' at 46 in Delhi-NCR and Delhi. The PM2.5 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 2.5 mm) was 23 in Delhi-NCR and 22 in Delhi on Friday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data. This is the second time this year that the quality of air fell in the 'good' category. Earlier on July 28, the onset of monsoon in Delhi had cleansed the air, bringing it in the 'good' category.

Delhi's air quality turns 'good' for second time this year: CPCB data

<p>Struggling with poor air quality and smog for years, China has built a 330-foot tall air purifier, said to be the &quot;world&#39;s biggest.&quot;</p>

<p>The tower has been built in Xian in Shaanxi, a northwestern Chinese province.</p>

<p>Reports&nbsp;say that the experimental tower is working effectively and is having a positive effect on air quality.</p>

<p>Researchers from the Institute of Earth Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences&nbsp;are still conducting research on the tower and its efficiency.</p>

<p>The reports said a final result report will be announced soon.</p>

<p>Cao Junji, the research head said that improvement in air quality has been observed, it has resulted in 100 million cubic meters of clean air, ANI reported.</p>

<p>She also adds that the observations were made over a distance of 10 square kilometres in the past few months.</p>

<p>The quality of air has been brought down to moderate from being critical after the establishment of the tower.</p>

<p>The system works through greenhouses covering about half the size of a soccer field around the base of the tower.</p>

<p>The air purifier tower idea is considered to be powerful enough to purify a small sized city and it seems to be working well in the test run.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(With inputs from ANI)</p>


The tower has been built in Xian in Shaanxi, a northwestern Chinese province The tower has been built in Xian in Shaanxi, a northwestern Chinese province

Struggling with poor air quality and smog for years, China has built a 330-foot tall air purifier, said to be the "world's biggest." The tower has been built in Xian in Shaanxi, a northwestern Chinese province. Reports say that the experimental tower is working effectively and is having a positive effect on air quality. Researchers from the Institute of Earth Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences are still conducting research on the tower and its efficiency. The reports said a final result report will be announced soon. Cao Junji, the research head said that improvement in air quality has been observed, it has resulted in 100 million cubic meters of clean air, ANI reported. She also adds that the observations were made over a distance of 10 square kilometres in the past few months. The quality of air has been brought down to moderate from being critical after the establishment of the tower. The system works through greenhouses covering about half the size of a soccer field around the base of the tower. The air purifier tower idea is considered to be powerful enough to purify a small sized city and it seems to be working well in the test run. (With inputs from ANI)

China builds 'world's biggest air purifier', said to be working effectively

<p>As dense fog enveloped Delhi on Saturday, 15 trains were reportedly cancelled&nbsp;and 34 trains were running&nbsp;late due to low visibility.</p>

<p>Four trains had to be&nbsp;rescheduled by the Railways.</p>

<p>According to reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route were running late or had to be&nbsp;rescheduled.</p>

<p>At&nbsp;8:30am(local time) the visibility in Delhi was recorded at 800 meters.</p>

<p>On December 20, 54 trains were delayed and 12 were rescheduled. Around ten cars had collided on the Lucknow-Agra expressway due to low visibility in Uttar Pradesh.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: 34 trains arriving late, 15 cancelled &amp; 4 rescheduled due to decreased visibility/operational reasons.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944386736993443840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>As fog engulfed&nbsp;Delhi, air quality was recorded at PM 205 at 242, PM 10 at 233 in&nbsp;Lodhi Road area, which comes in the &quot;severe&quot;&nbsp;category.</p>

<p>The national capital&#39;s air quality has been dropping since Friday.</p>

<p>In November, Delhi&#39;s air quality had&nbsp;dropped to the lowest level on the Air Quality Index forcing the government to shut down schools and halt construction work in the capital and adjoining areas.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Air Quality Index of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 at 242 and PM 10 at 233 <a href="https://t.co/NdrJNe6GCS">pic.twitter.com/NdrJNe6GCS</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944393502309224449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


According to the reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route are late or getting rescheduled

As dense fog enveloped Delhi on Saturday, 15 trains were reportedly cancelled and 34 trains were running late due to low visibility. Four trains had to be rescheduled by the Railways. According to reports, most trains running on Amritsar/Ludhiana to New Delhi route were running late or had to be rescheduled. At 8:30am(local time) the visibility in Delhi was recorded at 800 meters. On December 20, 54 trains were delayed and 12 were rescheduled. Around ten cars had collided on the Lucknow-Agra expressway due to low visibility in Uttar Pradesh. Delhi: 34 trains arriving late, 15 cancelled & 4 rescheduled due to decreased visibility/operational reasons. — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017 × As fog engulfed Delhi, air quality was recorded at PM 205 at 242, PM 10 at 233 in Lodhi Road area, which comes in the "severe" category. The national capital's air quality has been dropping since Friday. In November, Delhi's air quality had dropped to the lowest level on the Air Quality Index forcing the government to shut down schools and halt construction work in the capital and adjoining areas. Air Quality Index of #Delhi's Lodhi Road area, prominent pollutants PM 2.5 at 242 and PM 10 at 233 pic.twitter.com/NdrJNe6GCS — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017 ×

34 trains late, 15 cancelled due to low visibility in Delhi

<p>The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday again turned down Delhi government&#39;s review plea seeking an exemption to the women drivers and two-wheelers from the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme.</p>

<p>The green tribunal, which last month too rejected the same plea, observed that exemption to two-wheelers is completely against the spirit of the odd-even policy.</p>

<p>It also ruled that any exemptions would only defeat the purpose of the scheme as there are 60 lakh two-wheelers plying in Delhi which carry a lesser number of passengers and are more polluting, since they subscribe to older emission norms.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">NGT dismissed review application filed by Delhi government on Odd-Even issue, observed that exemption to two-wheelers is against the spirit of Odd-Even policy.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941611746275442688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">NGT ruled that any exemptions would only defeat purpose of the scheme since there are 60 lakh two wheelers plying in Delhi, carry lesser number of passengers and are more polluting since they subscribe to older emission norms</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/941620777366851586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The court also observed that the application of the car-rationing scheme was based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and not any sort of discretion.</p>

<p>The move came as a blow to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal&#39;s plan to implement the scheme anytime soon&nbsp;after the national capital witnessed &quot;severe&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;emergency&quot;&nbsp;levels of air quality.</p>

<p>The Delhi government was set to roll out the odd-even scheme from 13-17 November but shelved the plan after NGT ruled against the exemptions provided in it.&nbsp;</p>


The court said that any exemptions would only defeat the purpose of the scheme

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday again turned down Delhi government's review plea seeking an exemption to the women drivers and two-wheelers from the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme. The green tribunal, which last month too rejected the same plea, observed that exemption to two-wheelers is completely against the spirit of the odd-even policy. It also ruled that any exemptions would only defeat the purpose of the scheme as there are 60 lakh two-wheelers plying in Delhi which carry a lesser number of passengers and are more polluting, since they subscribe to older emission norms. NGT dismissed review application filed by Delhi government on Odd-Even issue, observed that exemption to two-wheelers is against the spirit of Odd-Even policy. — ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2017 × NGT ruled that any exemptions would only defeat purpose of the scheme since there are 60 lakh two wheelers plying in Delhi, carry lesser number of passengers and are more polluting since they subscribe to older emission norms — ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2017 × The court also observed that the application of the car-rationing scheme was based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and not any sort of discretion. The move came as a blow to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plan to implement the scheme anytime soon after the national capital witnessed "severe" and "emergency" levels of air quality. The Delhi government was set to roll out the odd-even scheme from 13-17 November but shelved the plan after NGT ruled against the exemptions provided in it.

NGT dismisses Delhi govt's odd-even review plea, says any exemption is against the policy'

<p>The deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR means that babies in the region are inhaling a cigarette the moment they are born.</p>

<p>&quot;The first breath a child takes after birth makes him an &#39;infant smoker&rsquo;. All of us are so-called non-smokers because we are already inhaling so much of polluted air,&rdquo; said Dr Arvind Kumar, an oncologist.</p>

<p>Parents often choose an auspicious day for the birth of their child, and often plan it along with their doctors. But in Delhi-NCR, that day is governed by levels of pollution.</p>

<p>Doctors say couples who have to undergo caesarean delivery, often request them to plan the surgery on days when there is no, or very less pollution. This demand shot up manifold during Diwali last month when air pollution levels were extremely high.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Pollution levels were off the charts during Diwali season, so we asked the doctor to delay the surgery. We are being extra cautious since the time the baby has come home. We&rsquo;ve bought air purifiers, sealed our windows,&rdquo; said Vijaya Saxena whose granddaughter was born just a week ago.</p>

<p>Doctors say when a baby born in Delhi-NCR takes the first breath, he/she inhales toxic smog equivalent to 10-12 cigarettes.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We bought an air purifier before the birth of our daughter because there is so much pollution that children&rsquo;s lungs are not developed properly. Earlier, people used to buy clothes before the birth of a child, now that is replaced with air purifier,&rdquo; said Deepa Gupta, mother of an infant daughter.</p>

<p>Children inhale double the amount of air an adult does. So they are at higher risk of developing respiratory problems. According to UNICEF, the biggest cause of infant mortality is pneumonia which is directly linked to air pollution.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Children who are growing in a polluted environment, there lung capacity is reduced. And there are high chances that he will develop asthma,&quot; said Dr Ankit Parakh, child lung specialist.</p>

<p>A research done by Berkeley Earth in China in the year 2015 showed that people are inhaling smoke equivalent to 1.5 cigarettes. In contrast, an Indian inhaled smoke equivalent to 25 cigarettes.</p>

<p>The pollutant which has emerged as the most lethal killer in the polluted air is PM2.5, the particulate matter which is linked to most of the respiratory issues.&nbsp;PM 2.5 is nasty because it can get stuck in the lungs and cause or aggravate asthma and other long-term health problems.</p>

<p>WHO guidelines call for no more than 10 micrograms of PM 2.5 per cubic metre of air. In most parts of Delhi today, the level is close to 400 calling for urgent need to take steps to immediately curb pollution.</p>


Parents often choose an auspicious day for the birth of their child, and often plan it along with their doctors. But in Delhi-NCR, that day is governed by levels of pollution.

The deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR means that babies in the region are inhaling a cigarette the moment they are born. "The first breath a child takes after birth makes him an 'infant smoker’. All of us are so-called non-smokers because we are already inhaling so much of polluted air,” said Dr Arvind Kumar, an oncologist. Parents often choose an auspicious day for the birth of their child, and often plan it along with their doctors. But in Delhi-NCR, that day is governed by levels of pollution. Doctors say couples who have to undergo caesarean delivery, often request them to plan the surgery on days when there is no, or very less pollution. This demand shot up manifold during Diwali last month when air pollution levels were extremely high. “Pollution levels were off the charts during Diwali season, so we asked the doctor to delay the surgery. We are being extra cautious since the time the baby has come home. We’ve bought air purifiers, sealed our windows,” said Vijaya Saxena whose granddaughter was born just a week ago. Doctors say when a baby born in Delhi-NCR takes the first breath, he/she inhales toxic smog equivalent to 10-12 cigarettes. “We bought an air purifier before the birth of our daughter because there is so much pollution that children’s lungs are not developed properly. Earlier, people used to buy clothes before the birth of a child, now that is replaced with air purifier,” said Deepa Gupta, mother of an infant daughter. Children inhale double the amount of air an adult does. So they are at higher risk of developing respiratory problems. According to UNICEF, the biggest cause of infant mortality is pneumonia which is directly linked to air pollution. “Children who are growing in a polluted environment, there lung capacity is reduced. And there are high chances that he will develop asthma," said Dr Ankit Parakh, child lung specialist. A research done by Berkeley Earth in China in the year 2015 showed that people are inhaling smoke equivalent to 1.5 cigarettes. In contrast, an Indian inhaled smoke equivalent to 25 cigarettes. The pollutant which has emerged as the most lethal killer in the polluted air is PM2.5, the particulate matter which is linked to most of the respiratory issues. PM 2.5 is nasty because it can get stuck in the lungs and cause or aggravate asthma and other long-term health problems. WHO guidelines call for no more than 10 micrograms of PM 2.5 per cubic metre of air. In most parts of Delhi today, the level is close to 400 calling for urgent need to take steps to immediately curb pollution.

Delhi pollution: Children are inhaling 'cigarette-like air' the moment they are born

<p>The air quality in&nbsp;Delhi Thursday morning was &quot;hazardous&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ANI reported that the air-quality index (AQI) pegged Punjabi Bagh at 799, Dwarka at 388, Shadipur at 362, and Anand Vihar at 515 -- all of them falling in the hazardous category.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Punjabi Bagh at 799, Dwarka 388, Shadipur 362,Anand Vihar 515 in Air Quality Index; all fall in the &#39;Hazardous&#39; category</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/928454631499350016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>ANI reported air quality earlier in the morning (at around 6.30 am) as falling in the &quot;severe&quot; category but by about 8.30 am, it had moved to hazardous.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smog</a> seen in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Lodhi road area in the early morning hours; Air Quality of the area-prominent pollutants PM 10 &amp; PM 2.5 in &#39;severe&#39; category <a href="https://t.co/XL0l1lLWJe">pic.twitter.com/XL0l1lLWJe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/928432104098078720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>ANI also added that 41 trains travelling to Delhi had been delayed due to the smog, that nine had been rescheduled, and 10 cancelled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were no reports of any planes being delayed by the smog.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There has been a sudden dip in air quality in Delhi ever since Diwali.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While firecrackers were banned this year on Diwali, Delhi generally experiences a severe dip in air quality with the onset of winter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The cooler air traps pollutants closer the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as &quot;inversion&quot;.</p>

<p>The burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states adds to the pollution.&nbsp;</p>


Nine trains were rescheduled and 10 cancelled

The air quality in Delhi Thursday morning was "hazardous". ANI reported that the air-quality index (AQI) pegged Punjabi Bagh at 799, Dwarka at 388, Shadipur at 362, and Anand Vihar at 515 -- all of them falling in the hazardous category. #Delhi's Punjabi Bagh at 799, Dwarka 388, Shadipur 362,Anand Vihar 515 in Air Quality Index; all fall in the 'Hazardous' category — ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2017 × ANI reported air quality earlier in the morning (at around 6.30 am) as falling in the "severe" category but by about 8.30 am, it had moved to hazardous. #Smog seen in #Delhi's Lodhi road area in the early morning hours; Air Quality of the area-prominent pollutants PM 10 & PM 2.5 in 'severe' category pic.twitter.com/XL0l1lLWJe — ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2017 × ANI also added that 41 trains travelling to Delhi had been delayed due to the smog, that nine had been rescheduled, and 10 cancelled. There were no reports of any planes being delayed by the smog. There has been a sudden dip in air quality in Delhi ever since Diwali. While firecrackers were banned this year on Diwali, Delhi generally experiences a severe dip in air quality with the onset of winter. The cooler air traps pollutants closer the ground, preventing them from dispersing into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as "inversion". The burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states adds to the pollution.

Delhi: Air quality 'hazardous'; 41 trains delayed by smog

<p>The pollution level in Delhi is alarmingly high. According to doctors, breathing in the air outside is equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day.</p>

<p>This severe pollution is affecting people, not just on the roads but those sitting at the homes as well. The Delhi government is actively monitoring the situation and has asked for the schools to be closed. It is also the time for you to go for an air purifier for your home.</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s a guide that can help you pick up the right air purifier:</p>

<p><strong>Make sure the purifier is HEPA labelled:</strong> HEPA or high efficiency particulate air technology absorbs the particulate matter suspended in the air. It will help filter the air of your home, but needs to be replaced every few months.</p>

<p><strong>Check for the range of the purifier:</strong> The clean air delivery rate in a filter should be more than 300 cubic metre, which will ensure that a room is covered fully.</p>

<p><strong>High energy efficiency:</strong> Choose an air purifier that offers high energy efficiency. It should consume less amount of electricity, so check the specifications and don&rsquo;t go for more than 100 watts.</p>

<p>There are a lot of air purifiers available in the market, but don&rsquo;t just settle for anyone. Make sure it goes with your room size and has all the right things in place.</p>

<p><strong>HERE&#39;S A COMPARISON OF DELHI&#39;S&nbsp;AIR QUALITY INDEX OVER THE LAST ONE WEEK</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The deteriorating quality of air in Delhi over the last one week (WION)</p>
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The pollution level in Delhi is alarmingly high. According to doctors, breathing in the air outside is equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day.

The pollution level in Delhi is alarmingly high. According to doctors, breathing in the air outside is equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day. This severe pollution is affecting people, not just on the roads but those sitting at the homes as well. The Delhi government is actively monitoring the situation and has asked for the schools to be closed. It is also the time for you to go for an air purifier for your home. Here’s a guide that can help you pick up the right air purifier: Make sure the purifier is HEPA labelled: HEPA or high efficiency particulate air technology absorbs the particulate matter suspended in the air. It will help filter the air of your home, but needs to be replaced every few months. Check for the range of the purifier: The clean air delivery rate in a filter should be more than 300 cubic metre, which will ensure that a room is covered fully. High energy efficiency: Choose an air purifier that offers high energy efficiency. It should consume less amount of electricity, so check the specifications and don’t go for more than 100 watts. There are a lot of air purifiers available in the market, but don’t just settle for anyone. Make sure it goes with your room size and has all the right things in place. HERE'S A COMPARISON OF DELHI'S AIR QUALITY INDEX OVER THE LAST ONE WEEK The deteriorating quality of air in Delhi over the last one week (WION) ×

Delhi pollution: Tips to choose air purifier

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<p>Contrary to Environment Minister&nbsp;Dr Harsh Vardhan&#39;s claims that the air quality this year was better than that of last year, with 569 Air Quality Index (AQI), the pollution levels at Delhi&#39;s Anand Vihar was marked&nbsp;&quot;Hazardous&quot; whereas the air quality at RK Puram and ITO was rated &quot;Very Unhealthy&quot; with 239 and 251&nbsp;(AQI) respectively.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The pollution level in Delhi had been on a constant rise. The recent stubble burning in and around Delhi had added to this degrading quality of air.</p>

<p>However, Vardhan said that the&nbsp;air quality in Delhi has been very good this year.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Air quality has been significantly better this year. AQI on Diwali &amp; post Diwali were 326 and 367 this year compared to 426 &amp; 425 in 2016.</p>
&mdash; Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/drharshvardhan/status/921385447401472001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;Last year we had smog for almost 3, 4 days. Nobody was able to breathe in Delhi but&nbsp;this year the&nbsp;early morning after Diwali everyone could breathe comfortably,&#39;&#39; he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;we are on the right path,&#39;&#39; the minister said and added that good days have improved. Satisfactory days have doubled, moderate days improved by almost 22 per cent, he said.&nbsp;<br />
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<p>There was no health affliction in terms of development of lung disease and others, he added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-lift-ban-on-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-says-its-an-experiment-for-1-year-22393" target="_blank">Supreme Court recently banned sale of firecrackers</a>&nbsp;to regulate the pollution caused by crackers during Diwali this year.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Air quality has been significantly better this year. AQI on Diwali &amp; post Diwali were 326 and 367 this year compared to 426 &amp; 425 in 2016.</p>
&mdash; Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/drharshvardhan/status/921385447401472001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
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With an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 569, Delhi's Anand Vihar was ranked 'Hazardous' whereas RK Puram and ITO came under?'Very Unhealthy'?air quality with 239 and 251(AQI) respectively.

Contrary to Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan's claims that the air quality this year was better than that of last year, with 569 Air Quality Index (AQI), the pollution levels at Delhi's Anand Vihar was marked "Hazardous" whereas the air quality at RK Puram and ITO was rated "Very Unhealthy" with 239 and 251 (AQI) respectively. The pollution level in Delhi had been on a constant rise. The recent stubble burning in and around Delhi had added to this degrading quality of air. However, Vardhan said that the air quality in Delhi has been very good this year. Air quality has been significantly better this year. AQI on Diwali & post Diwali were 326 and 367 this year compared to 426 & 425 in 2016. — Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) October 20, 2017 × "Last year we had smog for almost 3, 4 days. Nobody was able to breathe in Delhi but this year the early morning after Diwali everyone could breathe comfortably,'' he added. "we are on the right path,'' the minister said and added that good days have improved. Satisfactory days have doubled, moderate days improved by almost 22 per cent, he said. There was no health affliction in terms of development of lung disease and others, he added. Supreme Court recently banned sale of firecrackers to regulate the pollution caused by crackers during Diwali this year. Air quality has been significantly better this year. AQI on Diwali & post Diwali were 326 and 367 this year compared to 426 & 425 in 2016. — Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) October 20, 2017 ×

Delhi: Environment minister claims air quality 'very good' but Anand Vihar 'hazardous', RK Puram 'very unhealthy'

<p>Seeking assistance in lowering the pollution levels in the national capital, the Delhi government has written to the Centre asking for aerial sprinkling of water through helicopter.</p>

<p>In a letter to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi&rsquo;s Environment Minister Imran Hussain has said that Delhi government is ready to bear the cost of the exercise.</p>

<p>&quot;In view of the continuous poor air quality in Delhi, it is requested that your good office may kindly propose to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India to carry out an exercise to sprinkle water aerially through helicopter/aircraft to settle particulate matters in Delhi. Government of NCT of Delhi is willing to bear the expenses from Air Ambience Fund of DPCC,&quot; Hussain said in his letter.</p>

<p><strong>READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW:</strong></p>

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<p>Delhi minister&#39;s letter to Harsh Vardhan (WION)</p>
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<p>Delhi registered a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/environment-minister-claims-very-good-air-quality-in-delhi-anand-vihar-continues-to-show-hazardous-aqi-22737">marginal drop in pollution levels</a> in days after Diwali, but many areas of the national capital have very poor air quality. With and Air Quality Index (AQI) of 569, the pollution levels at Delhi&#39;s Anand Vihar was marked&nbsp;&quot;Hazardous&quot; whereas the air quality at RK Puram and ITO was rated &quot;Very Unhealthy&quot; with 239 and 251&nbsp;(AQI) respectively.</p>

<p>This comes days after Harsh Vardhan tweeted to say that the&nbsp;air quality in Delhi has been very good this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We are on the right path,&#39;&#39; the minister said and added that good days have improved.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-lift-ban-on-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-says-its-an-experiment-for-1-year-22393">Supreme Court had recently banned sale of firecrackers</a>&nbsp;to regulate the pollution caused by crackers during Diwali this year.</p>


Delhi registered a marginal drop in pollution levels in days after Diwali, but many areas of the national capital have very poor air quality.

Seeking assistance in lowering the pollution levels in the national capital, the Delhi government has written to the Centre asking for aerial sprinkling of water through helicopter. In a letter to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi’s Environment Minister Imran Hussain has said that Delhi government is ready to bear the cost of the exercise. "In view of the continuous poor air quality in Delhi, it is requested that your good office may kindly propose to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India to carry out an exercise to sprinkle water aerially through helicopter/aircraft to settle particulate matters in Delhi. Government of NCT of Delhi is willing to bear the expenses from Air Ambience Fund of DPCC," Hussain said in his letter. READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW: Delhi minister's letter to Harsh Vardhan (WION) × Delhi registered a marginal drop in pollution levels in days after Diwali, but many areas of the national capital have very poor air quality. With and Air Quality Index (AQI) of 569, the pollution levels at Delhi's Anand Vihar was marked "Hazardous" whereas the air quality at RK Puram and ITO was rated "Very Unhealthy" with 239 and 251 (AQI) respectively. This comes days after Harsh Vardhan tweeted to say that the air quality in Delhi has been very good this year. "We are on the right path,'' the minister said and added that good days have improved. The Supreme Court had recently banned sale of firecrackers to regulate the pollution caused by crackers during Diwali this year.

To curb pollution, Delhi govt wants aerial sprinkling of water, ready to pay the bill

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cracker-ban-in-delhi-goes-up-in-smoke-on-diwali-night-22632">The Supreme Court ban on firecrackers in Delhi seems to have had little effect</a> as evident from the levels of air pollution recorded in the national capital this morning.</p>

<p>The pollution indicator of state-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) turned a deep shade of brown, indicating &quot;severe&quot;&nbsp;air quality in the city, PTI reported.</p>

<p>A &quot;severe&quot; air pollution level may&nbsp;affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.</p>

<p>The Air Quality Index (AQI), a barometer for measuring air pollution, was above 400 in most places in the National Capital Region (NCR). It was at a &quot;hazardous&quot; &nbsp;978 in New Delhi&#39;s RK Puram area today morning.</p>

<p>The US embassy&#39;s pollution monitor recorded &#39;hazardous&#39; air quality with the index scoring an alarming 878, which the mission considers &quot;beyond its air quality index&quot;, which ends at 500.</p>

<p>The highest level of AQI, 999, was recorded in the capital&#39;s Punjabi Bagh and Anand Vihar areas.&nbsp; The minimum level of pollution, An AQI of 221, was recorded at&nbsp;East Delhi&#39;s Dilshad Garden.</p>

<p>On Diwali yesterday, the AQI improved from &quot;severe&quot; in 2016 to &quot;very poor&quot;, the Central Pollution Control Board reported.</p>

<p>The AQI value yesterday in Delhi was 319 (very poor) while it was 431 (severe) in 2016.</p>

<p>A &quot;very poor&quot; air quality implies that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn &quot;severe&quot;.</p>

<p>An AQI level of 0-50 is considered &quot;good&quot;, 51-100 &quot;satisfactory&quot;, 101-200 &quot;moderate&quot;, 201-300 &quot;poor&quot;, 301-400 &quot;very poor&quot;, and 401 and above is &quot;severe&quot;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Visuals of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#smog</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Vijay Chowk <a href="https://t.co/5d7S1ZViP7">pic.twitter.com/5d7S1ZViP7</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/921194604719775744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10, ultrafine particulates which are up to 30 times tinier than the width of a human hair, were 424 and 571 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3), much higher than the safe limits of 60 and 100.</p>

<p>The ultrafine particulates are ones which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, causing health problems.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court had on October 9 banned the sale of firecrackers this Diwali in view of the severe pollution and smog-like conditions prevalent in Delhi last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delhiites, however, defied the ban and the pollution indexes sharply rose from 7 pm, enveloping the national capital in smog.</p>

<p>The situation was better in the NCR which includes Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, where an AQI between 400-420 was recorded today morning.</p>

<p>Crackers were, however,&nbsp;burst in these regions yesterday, raising question marks on the efficacy of the administration in enforcing the top court&#39;s ban.</p>

<p>The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city on Diwali glowed red, indicating a &quot;&#39;very poor&quot; air quality as the volume of PM2.5 and PM10 sharply rose from around 7 pm.</p>

<p>Real-time pollution data was alarming. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee&#39;s (DPCC) RK Puram monitoring station recorded PM2.5 and PM10 at 878 and 1,179 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm.</p>

<p>The pollutants peaked after midnight, surpassing the corresponding 24-hour safe limits of 60 and 100 more than 10 times.&nbsp;The monitors stopped working after midnight, suggesting that the pollutants had gone through the roof.</p>

<p>Neighbourhoods reported much lesser noise and smoke till about 6 pm, compared to the previous years.</p>

<p>But as the festivities picked up, the faint echo of crackers started growing louder.</p>

<p>The SAFAR estimated the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 at 154 and 256 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm, PTI reported.</p>

<p>SAFAR has, however, predicted relatively cleaner post-Diwali air due to favourable meteorological conditions, which are helping prevent the smoke-filled air from the agricultural belt of Haryana and Punjab from entering the national capital.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) is empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR.</p>

<p>Measures under the GRAP&#39;s &#39;very poor&#39; and &#39;severe&#39; categories, which include a ban on diesel generator sets, came into effect on October 17 and they will remain in force till March 15.&nbsp;</p>


A 'severe' air pollution level may?affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing respiratory or cardiovascular diseases

The Supreme Court ban on firecrackers in Delhi seems to have had little effect as evident from the levels of air pollution recorded in the national capital this morning. The pollution indicator of state-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) turned a deep shade of brown, indicating "severe" air quality in the city, PTI reported. A "severe" air pollution level may affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. The Air Quality Index (AQI), a barometer for measuring air pollution, was above 400 in most places in the National Capital Region (NCR). It was at a "hazardous" 978 in New Delhi's RK Puram area today morning. The US embassy's pollution monitor recorded 'hazardous' air quality with the index scoring an alarming 878, which the mission considers "beyond its air quality index", which ends at 500. The highest level of AQI, 999, was recorded in the capital's Punjabi Bagh and Anand Vihar areas. The minimum level of pollution, An AQI of 221, was recorded at East Delhi's Dilshad Garden. On Diwali yesterday, the AQI improved from "severe" in 2016 to "very poor", the Central Pollution Control Board reported. The AQI value yesterday in Delhi was 319 (very poor) while it was 431 (severe) in 2016. A "very poor" air quality implies that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn "severe". An AQI level of 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401 and above is "severe". Visuals of #smog from #Delhi's Vijay Chowk pic.twitter.com/5d7S1ZViP7 — ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2017 × The 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10, ultrafine particulates which are up to 30 times tinier than the width of a human hair, were 424 and 571 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3), much higher than the safe limits of 60 and 100. The ultrafine particulates are ones which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, causing health problems. The Supreme Court had on October 9 banned the sale of firecrackers this Diwali in view of the severe pollution and smog-like conditions prevalent in Delhi last year. Delhiites, however, defied the ban and the pollution indexes sharply rose from 7 pm, enveloping the national capital in smog. The situation was better in the NCR which includes Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, where an AQI between 400-420 was recorded today morning. Crackers were, however, burst in these regions yesterday, raising question marks on the efficacy of the administration in enforcing the top court's ban. The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city on Diwali glowed red, indicating a "'very poor" air quality as the volume of PM2.5 and PM10 sharply rose from around 7 pm. Real-time pollution data was alarming. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) RK Puram monitoring station recorded PM2.5 and PM10 at 878 and 1,179 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm. The pollutants peaked after midnight, surpassing the corresponding 24-hour safe limits of 60 and 100 more than 10 times. The monitors stopped working after midnight, suggesting that the pollutants had gone through the roof. Neighbourhoods reported much lesser noise and smoke till about 6 pm, compared to the previous years. But as the festivities picked up, the faint echo of crackers started growing louder. The SAFAR estimated the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 at 154 and 256 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm, PTI reported. SAFAR has, however, predicted relatively cleaner post-Diwali air due to favourable meteorological conditions, which are helping prevent the smoke-filled air from the agricultural belt of Haryana and Punjab from entering the national capital. The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) is empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Measures under the GRAP's 'very poor' and 'severe' categories, which include a ban on diesel generator sets, came into effect on October 17 and they will remain in force till March 15.

Air quality in Delhi improves to 'very poor' on Diwali, 'severe' today