Summary:
'Very poor' AQI means that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. (With inputs from PTI) The Air Quality Index (AQI) value yesterday was 319, terming it in very poor category; while the AQI last Diwali (October 30) had touched severe level after recording an index value of 431.Online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the Capital glowed red, indicating 'very poor' air quality as the volume of ultra fine particulates PM2.5 and PM10, which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, sharply rose starting around 7 pm Thursday.Real time pollution data also looked alarming. If the air quality dips further, AQI will turn 'severe', which may trouble even those who are health and seriously affect those with ailments.The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority is empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in Delhi and its surrounding areas.Measures under GRAP's 'very poor' and 'severe' categories, which include a ban on diesel generator sets, came into effect on October 17 and will remain in force until March 15 next year. Delhi's RK Puram at 978(Hazardous) on Air Quality Index #AQI https://t.co/nYNGFcginM — ANI (@ANI) 1508466323000Visuals of #smog from #Delhi's Vijay Chowk https://t.co/5d7S1ZViP7 — ANI (@ANI) 1508464883000Delhi: Raisina Hill including Rashtrapati Bhawan lit up on #Diwali https://t.co/kau0DItG6H — ANI (@ANI) 1508422134000NEW DELHI: A quiet, smoke-free Thursday gave way to thick haze and noise Diwali night, dashing hopes of a firecracker-free festival following a Supreme Court ban on their sale in the National Capital Region.While quantifying the immediate effect of the ban on firecrackers is difficult, it was a fact that noise and smoke levels Thursday were much lower than in previous years until about 6 pm.The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Friday reported that the pollution levels in Delhi are lower compared to the air quality recorded during Diwali in 2016, reported ANI..