Delhi’s air quality worsens on Thursday, pollution levels severe

Anand Vihar, RK Puram, Mandir Marg, and Punjabi Bagh showed a reading of 500 on the Hindustan Times air quality monitoring portal, putting the pollution level in the severe category. The highest possible reading is 500.

Delhi’s air quality worsened on Thursday morning, with the four stations that monitor both particulate matter 2.5 and 10, falling in the ‘highly polluted’ category.

Air quality in Delhi worsened on Thursday morning, with the four stations that monitor both particulate matter 2.5 and 10 falling in the ‘highly polluted’ category. (Hindustan Times Photo)

Anand Vihar, RK Puram, Mandir Marg, and Punjabi Bagh recorded a reading of 500 on the Hindustan Times air quality monitoring portal, putting the pollution level in the severe category. The highest possible reading is 500.

The main cause of pollution in Punjabi Bagh and Mandir Marg was PM 10, indicating the presence of dust in large concentrations. In the remaining two stations, PM 10 and 2.5 were both high.

PM 2.5, which refers to particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, leads to hazardous smog that is a major cause of asthma and respiratory diseases.

The past four days have seen Delhi’s air quality deteriorating.

According to experts at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), winds from other parts of the country are bringing more pollutants, especially dust, into the city.

The dry weather and burning of agricultural remains after the harvest season are not helping either.

Check pollution level in Delhi

PM readings at 10.30am

Standard limits

PM 2.5 – 60 micro gram per cubic metre

PM 10 – 100 micro gram per cubic metre

Anand Vihar

PM 2.5 - 411 micro gram per cubic metre

PM 10 – 983 micro gram per cubic metre

RK Puram

PM 2.5 – 360 micro gram per cubic metre

PM 10 – 830 micro gram per cubic metre

Mandir Marg

PM 2.5 – 73 micro gram per cubic metre

PM 10 – 617 micro gram per cubic metre

Punjabi Bagh

PM 2.5 – 69 micro gram per cubic metre

PM 10 – 617 micro gram per cubic metre