New Delhi: Delhites woke up to a choking environment as Delhi’s air quality plummeted to the ‘severe’ category on Friday. With the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching alarming levels, at least 32 of the 35 monitoring stations recorded AQI values in the severe-plus range, with some areas peaking at 450. The primary pollutant, PM2.5, remains dangerously high, sparking serious public health concerns.
Additionally, the city recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C, which is 2.5°C higher than the season’s average, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The humidity level at 8:30 AM was at 100 percent. The IMD has forecast partly cloudy skies throughout the day, with the maximum temperature expected to reach 24°C.
Under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the strictest anti-pollution measures, the city has been grappling with worsening air pollution. Despite interventions, pollution levels continue to escalate, revealing the inadequacy of temporary measures like smog towers.
Environmental expert Avinash Chanchal stressed the urgency of addressing the crisis at its root. Speaking to media, he said, “There is no ‘safe’ level of air pollution. Even low exposure shortens lives and impacts public health. Temporary measures won’t suffice; pollution must be tackled at the source.”
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