Choked morning in Delhi-NCR as air quality goes from bad to worse

In Delhi, the overall PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 264 against the safe limit of 60

Latest News: Delhi was “gasping for breath” on Monday when air pollution dipped to “very poor”, prompting residents to tweet that it’s time to flee the city. The air quality index (AQI) in the morning was recorded at 374, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

In Delhi, the overall PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 264 against the safe limit of 60. The PM2.5 also called “fine particulates,” can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10.

Delhi Air Pollution

The PM10 level in Delhi stood at 374 against the safe limit of 100, as per SAFAR. An AQI of 0-100 is considered ‘Good+Satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 to 500 ‘severe’, as per SAFAR. “If significant stubble burning continues on Sunday and Monday in the NW (northwest) region of India then its impact is very likely over Delhi and AQI may reach the upper end of the very poor category.

“The northwest wind direction may bring the influence of biomass fire on Tuesday and Wednesday,” the IITM said. An official with the Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said despite moderate wind speed, the pollution in Delhi rose due to stubble burning from the neighbouring states.

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18 trains cancelled as Delhi wakes up to fog, mercury at 5 degrees celsius

The maximum temperature is likely to be around 21 degrees Celsius

It was a cold and foggy morning in New Delhi on Monday with the minimum temperature recorded at five degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, the weather office said.
The Met has predicted a misty day ahead. Visibility stood at 800 metres and humidity was recorded at 97 per cent at 8.30 am.

At least 18 trains were cancelled, 50 delayed and eight rescheduled due to fog in several parts of northern India.

"The sky will remain clear," an India Meteorological Department official said.

The maximum temperature was likely to be around 21 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature on Sunday settled at 20.7 degrees Celsius, one notch above the season's average while the minimum temperature was recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average.

Delhi Odd-Even Round-3: 1.3 mn cars to go off roads, & top 10 developments

The road-space rationing scheme will be in place between November 13 and 17 from 8 am to 8 pm in the national capital

 

It's time for round three of the Odd-Even road-space rationing scheme first brought in last year by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -led Delhi government, as Delhiites choke on toxic air. The Odd-Even plan will be in place for five days starting Monday, November 13. 

According to Safar (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), Delhi's air quality is forecast to be "severe" today, with PM10 at 895 microgrammes per cubic metre and PM2.5 at 546 microgrammes per cubic metre -- these are ultrafine particulates that have the ability to enter the respiratory system and subsequently the bloodstream of humans and animals, causing harm. Tomorrow's air quality forecast is also "severe", as is the forecast after three days from now.

The announcement of the third phase of the Odd-Even plan from November 13 to 17 was made by Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot at a press conference on Thursday. He said the modalities of the scheme, under which private four-wheeled vehicles with odd and even registration numbers were allowed to run on alternate days from 8 am to 8 pm, would be the same as the previous phases. (economy news)

The first phase of the Odd-Even rule was implemented by the Delhi government from January 1 to 15 and the second phase from April 15 to 30 last year...

As Delhi chokes, odd-even to be enforced again from November 13 to 17

Odd-numbered cars are allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars can only run on even dates

 

 

The odd-even car rationing scheme will be enforced in Delhi for a five-day period from November 13, city Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Thursday.

The decision comes as air pollution levels spiked in the national capital.

Under the policy, private vehicles are allowed to run based on the last number of their licence plates.

Odd-numbered cars are allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars can only run on even dates.

Last year, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government implemented the alternate day travel for cars with odd and even number license plates.

The plan was put in place twice for 14 days each in January and April, respectively, to control the deteriorating air quality in Delhi NCR.

Living in a gas chamber: Delhi's air to worsen in coming days; schools shut

At the severe level, even healthy people will be affected while those who have existing diseases will be severely impacted

Delhi air pollution  hit a dangerous level on Tuesday, putting residents at risk, forcing the closure of schools, and bringing calls from doctors for the city’s half marathon to be canceled.

Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the city had once become a “gas chamber”. Schools for younger children were ordered shut on Wednesday and all outdoor activity at high schools suspended.
A thick fog that hung over the sprawling city worsened conditions. Residents complained of smarting eyes and irritation in the throat.

The air quality index, which measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter in the air, hit the “severe” level of 451 on a scale where the maximum reading is 500 and where anything above 100 is considered unhealthy by the Central Pollution Control Board.

At the severe level, even healthy people will be affected while those who have existing diseases will be severely impacted, it said.

In some parts of Delhi, the air quality was so poor that it was beyond the maximum level, according to the US Embassy’s real-time air quality index. It stood at 999 for RK Puram area beyond which no readings are available.

That level is equal to smoking 50 cigarettes a day, Dr. Arvind Kumar, chairman for chest surgery at Sir Ganga Ram hospital, said.

“We are in a state of medical emergency, schools should be shut, we need to bring these levels down. We are all shortening our lives.”

The Indian Medical Association urged Delhi’s biggest running race, due on Nov. 19, to be called off to protect runners and volunteers from exposure to high levels of deadly particulate matter that lodge deep in the lungs.

It said the air quality is particularly poor early in the day when the race will be run.

The air quality index measures concentrations of PM 2.5, PM 10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide among other indicators.

Emergency Measures

The air quality is likely to worsen in the next few days as a northwesterly wind is expected to bring toxic smoke from the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana where farmers burn crop stubble before the new planting season.

Delhi’s deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said emergency measures such as banning the entry of trucks into the capital and suspension of construction activity will kick in, if the pollution level rose further....READ MORE