After Record Levels Of Pollution On Diwali, Delhi Breathes Hazardous Air For The Second Day

The air quality in the national capital improved slightly on Saturday due to higher wind speed.
Still, the overall AQI of Delhi was 449 in the severe category at 8 am on Saturday, a small improvement from the 462 a day earlier.
The overall AQI was at 533 at 6 am and is predicted to improve as the day progresses.

Worst Diwali air since 2015
According to reports, the 462 AQI on Friday was the worst AQI the city has seen the day after Diwali since monitoring began in 2015. Delhi also recorded the sharpest deterioration in AQI since 2015, from the day before Diwali (AQI 314 ) to the day after.

Unfavourable weather conditions
Experts said the air quality degraded to severe in Delhi-NCR due to unfavourable weather conditions calm winds, low temperature and low mixing height and a poisonous cocktail of emissions from firecrackers, stubble burning and local sources.
Many residents, including young students were extremely vocal about the problem caused by pollution and the efforts to tackle it.
“Earlier, we did not get tired while cycling after a short time. But now with such levels of pollution, we get tired. It causes pain and a burning sensation in the lungs. It causes a lot of breathlessness. Visibility is also low because of pollution. Bursting firecrackers is a cause of it, they were used in spite of a ban. Pollution control is dependent on the conduct of people, how they follow instructions of the government,” Gaurav, a student said.