Delhi pollution levels ‘critical’, AQI at 740

New Delhi: As pollution levels in Delhi continued to rise unabated post Diwali, one of the most sensitive areas in the national capital –Delhi University – recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 740 early Tuesday. The city’s overall air quality breached the “severe” mark today.

While the overall AQI in the area stood at 506, same as on Monday after 12pm, it breached the “critical” mark on Tuesday morning, prompting , Centre-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) to issue a health advisory asking residents to remain indoors.

Both PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels were recorded at 500+ on Tuesday morning at Delhi University, which not only houses thousands of the city’s student population but is also home to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The overall PM 2.5 and PM 10 counts for Delhi stood at 500+ and 446, breaching the “severe” mark, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

On Monday, Kejriwal claimed that the city’s pollution level this Diwali was the lowest in five years.

PM 2.5 are smaller size pollutants that are extremely harmful as they can enter the bloodstream, unlike PM10 that impacts lungs.

On Monday, even as Delhi recorded an AQI of 345 early in the day, it spiked to 506 by afternoon. The 24-hour average for the national capital stood at 368, in the “severe” category.

Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 436, while Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which houses several central government offices, recorded an AQI of 404, breaching the “severe” mark.