Teary eyes and itchy throats as Delhi’s air quality goes off the charts

New Delhi, Nov 05: Air quality in Delhi was recorded in the hazardous category at Janpath early on Friday a day after the Diwali celebrations. The particulate matter 2.5 concentration was recorded at 655.07 in Janpath early on Friday morning, an ANI report said.

Government standards mark PM 2.5 concentrations as severe. People were seen celebrating Diwali by bursting crackers on the streets. This was done despite a ban by the Delhi government on the sale and bursting of firecrackers, including green crackers.

The degrading of air quality was further aggravated by the bursting of firecrackers on the streets. After a thick blanket of smog shrouded the Delhi skies, several people complained of watery eyes and an itchy throat.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research's (SAFAR) air quality forecast for Delhi during Diwali this year showed that the overall air quality of Delhi is plunged into the upper end of very poor category. It will continue to fall now and may enter at the edge of the very poor to "severe" category by tonight, the air quality forecast also showed.

"If firecrackers are burned even 50 per cent of last year then PM2.5 will enter 'severe' category by midnight and shoot up rapidly by today early morning with AQI even crossing 500," it also said. SAFR also noted that the two major factors contributing to the pollution on Friday were the extremely calm wind conditions in Delhi combined with 25 per cent stubble share. While AQI will fluctuate within the Very Poor Range, relief is expected only from the evening of November 7.