New Delhi: The national capital’s air quality has been severely polluted in the last 10 days, according to an official data. The levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10, most dominant pollutants in Delhi’s air, have consistently violated the prescribed standards by about four times each over the last 10 days. However, the city government said that data collated during the period showed no major difference when compared to the corresponding data of the last year.
The average levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 over an eleven-day period from November 21 to December 1 were 194 and 438 micrograms per cubic metre, as against the corresponding safe limits of 60 and 100, respectively.
In fact, the average level of these ultrafine particulates over the same period were higher at 264 and 518 last year. This year the situation has marginally improved riding on the back of strong wind movement for about a fortnight.
Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality index (24-hour average) was in the “very poor”’ category on Friday, with a reading of 378. On Thursday, it was “severe” at 403.
The 24-hour-average (rolling) of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were 197 and 381 micrograms per cubic metre respectively on Friday, as per Central agency Safar.
