Dense smog shrouds Delhi, air quality turns ‘severe’

Delhi residents continue to gasp for breath, as the national capital recorded 486 ‘severe’ air quality index on Saturday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The smog shrouded several parts of the Delhi, including Burari, Peera Garhi, Kashmere Gate and Mukherjee Nagar area leading to decreased visibility.

“It’s really hard for us to drive an auto in the day time, due to air pollution. People who are staying on the road are forced to burn tyre and rubber to stay alive, which cause air pollution. People have started bursting firecrackers before Diwali. It is the duty of not just the government or policemen, but of everyone to take steps to combat air pollution,” said an auto driver in Kashmiri Gate.

“During the morning run, we face several problems due to air pollution. We are not able to see properly in the morning due to smog. There is no use of ban on bursting firecrackers as people will do it anyway,” said a resident of Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar area.

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases. According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.