The odd-even scheme in the national capital kicked in from 8 am today as pollution levels peaked to a three-year high in the Capital and a thick smog enveloped the city, prompting hundreds of distraught people to say they wanted to leave the city due to poor air quality. On Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) showed major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 were both at 500 — in the ‘severe’ category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 494 at 4pm on Sunday, the highest since November 6, 2016, when it was 497.
Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, leaves for his office on a bicycle, from his residence in Delhi. Delhi is under a heavy shroud of smog as the pollution have reached alarming levels. Earlier today, CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that he will carpool with Delhi Ministers to commute to office.
The heavy smog caused a major disruption at Delhi airport as 37 flights were diverted to other airports due to low visibility, officials said.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to twitter to reply to pollution-related queries. Replying to a Delhi citizen on stubble burning in Punjab, Kejriwal says, “Pollution due to stubble burning is not in our hands though we are distributing masks to our Delhiites to cut its ill-effects on the health of our people.” He also appealed to the people to minimise local sources of pollution.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality check, SAFAR, said the city’s overall AQI reached as high as 708 around 5 pm, which is 14 times the safe level of 0-50. AQI or Air Quality Index is the unit to measure pollution.
0-50 – Good.
51-100 – Satisfactory.
101-200 – Moderate.
201-300 – Poor.
301-400 – Very poor.
401-500 – Severe.
500 and above – Severe plus category.
