Smog envelops city. Pollution to blame?

A thick blanket of smoke and haze sheathed Delhi on Saturday, reducing visibility to 500-800 metres.

A thick blanket of smoke and haze sheathed Delhi on Saturday, reducing visibility to 500-800 metres.

While the meteorological department described this as a normal winter phenomenon, environmental groups ascribed it to rising pollution levels.

“This kind of smog is not unusual for this time of the year but such thick smog is also not seen frequently,” said S.C. Bhan, director, Indian Meteoro-logical Department. The smog had nothing to do with the oil depot fire in Jaipur, he said.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a research and advocacy organisation, said Saturday’s “unprecedented smog” was a clear indicator that Delhi had lost the gains of converting its buses and autorickshaws to compressed natural gas (CNG).

“The annual average level of pollution in Delhi has been going up since 2007 and is back to pre-2000 levels,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, associate director, CSE.

The Met office said locally generated smoke and pollutants were not dispersing because there was no wind. Such a condition might continue till Sunday, the weatherman said.