Twitter users say ‘winter is coming’ as Delhi air pollution levels soar

The national capital woke up to a cold foggy morning on Tuesday with visibility dropping to 200 metre at 8.30am.

Delhi woke up to a hazy morning on Tuesday, which the Indian Meteorological Department said was due to fog and not smog. But that didn’t stop Delhiites from making the hashtag #smog trend.

A woman covers her face with a scarf to minimise the impact of toxic air at ITO crossing in New Delhi. (Arvind Yadav/HT File Photo)

Pollution levels were ‘severe’ with the Air Quality Index recorded at 441 in northwest Delhi. Air quality is marked “very poor” if the AQI is between 300 and 400 µg/m3. Beyond that, it is “severe”.

On social media, people were critical of the government’s response to combatting air pollution in the national capital. Many posted early morning images, saying the polluted air was “choking” them.

Every year at the onset of winter, Delhi’s air quality plunges due to low temperatures and high pollution levels. The Graded Response Action Plan to combat air pollution came into force for the first time last month, which includes taking measures such as a ban on garbage burning and firecrackers, closing brick kilns and mechanised sweeping of roads as air quality turned from ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’.

This photo taken on November 5, 2017 shows motorists driving in New Delhi. (AFP Photo)