Delhi Air Pollution: Air Quality Remains Severe
Schools are shut & government workers are asked to WFH as Delhi’s air quality continues to remain severe. Read on to know more.
Delhi’s air pollution seems to get no better. The Delhi government declared that all primary schools will be closed and that 50% of government workers will be required to work from home as long as the city's air quality remains extremely poor.
The city's total Air Quality Index (AQI) was reported at 437 i.e., the severe category on Friday. The national capital region's Noida presently reported an AQI of 562 and remained in a severe category, while Gurugram's AQI stood at 539 and remained in the severe category, and that of Delhi University at 563.
The AQI measures air pollution on a scale from 0 to 500. An AQI of 0 to 100 is deemed to be good, 100 to 200 moderate, 200 to 300 poor, 300 to 400 very poor, and 400 to 500 or more severe. Seeing this alarming condition of New Delhi’s air quality, ANI tweeted –
Source: ANI @Twitter
The highest AQI is 486 on Friday in Narela, North West Delhi. As practically all of the stations currently have an AQI above 400, North Delhi currently has the worst air quality. With the exception of a handful, including Mandir Marg in downtown Delhi, most stations in the city have an AQI above 400. With the national capital's air quality getting worse, Delhi officials stopped all development and demolition activities until further orders. Additionally, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced that primary schools in Delhi will be closed. An odd-even system would be implemented and students in the 5th grade and higher classes would no longer engage in outdoor activities.
But Why Is The Air Quality So Severe In Delhi?
While the causes of air pollution and poor air quality could be many, the primary causes include vehicle pollution, industrial pollutants, firecrackers used around Diwali, and stubble burning in rice fields close to Delhi. According to research from India Today, smoke from burning stubble contributes to over 45% of Delhi's air pollution. Additionally, it noted that 97% of world cities do not satisfy the most recent air quality recommendations set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Meanwhile, the Delhi government was instructed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take into consideration using water sprinklers and anti-smog weapons to reduce air pollution in the city.