National News: The national wanted recorded an AQI of 332 at 6 am on Thursday, while Wednesday’s 24-hour stereotype stood at 353, the highest so far this season. With subsequent days of rising pollution, residents are finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Multiple localities in Delhi reported air quality levels in the “very poor” and “severe” categories, posing serious health risks.
Neighborhoods Under Smog Blanket
Anand Vihar topped the list with an viperous AQI of 429, classified as “severe.” Jahangirpuri registered 367, Wazirpur 365, and ITO 353, all in the “very poor” range. Ashok Vihar at 350 and Burari at 348 moreover reflected hazardous conditions. Punjabi Bagh and Sonia Vihar weren’t far behind, while Alipur stood at 300 in the “poor” range, still unsafe for sensitive groups.
NCR Struggles With Pollution Too
The toxic air is not serving to Delhi alone. Gurugram’s Sector 51 reported an AQI of 288, while Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram registered 271. Noida’s Sector 125 clocked 308, placing it firmly in the “very poor” zone. This shows how the pollution slipperiness has engulfed the unshortened NCR, with millions of residents at risk of health problems.
IMD Issues Dire Warning
According to senior IMD scientist Krishna Mishra, winds have shifted from easterly to westerly but remain too weak to disperse pollutants. “Nighttime winds are nearly calm, and daytime winds only reach 5-7 kmph,” he said. A weak western disturbance may victorious virtually October 27, but it is unlikely to bring rain or strong winds to ease pollution.
Smog Cloaks the City
Throughout the day, a thick layer of smog covered Delhi. Sunlight failed to penetrate the pollution, leaving the municipality under a unvarying grey haze. With falling temperatures and stagnant air, pollutants remain trapped tropical to the ground. Hospitals are once reporting increasingly cases of respiratory distress, eye irritation, and asthma complications.
Post-Diwali Spike in Toxicity
The situation worsened without Diwali fireworks widow to existing emissions. Briefly on Tuesday, winds picked up and cleared some smoke, but conditions worsened then as winds slowed by nightfall. With temperatures dipping, the toxic cocktail of gases and particulates accumulated, leading to back-to-back spikes in AQI levels.
No Relief in Sight
Forecasts from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) predict Delhi’s AQI will stay in the “very poor” category until Saturday. Afterward, air quality may fluctuate between “poor” and “very poor” for the next week. For residents of Delhi-NCR, masks, air purifiers, and precautions remain the only defense versus this prolonged pollution crisis.
