Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
Notice (8): Undefined variable: urlPrefix [APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp, line 8]latest-news-updates/delhi-chokes-on-worst-nov-smog-in-many-years-4680485.html"/> LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Delhi chokes on worst Nov smog in many years | Im4change.org
Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

Delhi chokes on worst Nov smog in many years

-The Times of India

NEW DELHI:
Delhiites woke up to apocalyptic grey skies as a heavy smog hung over the city on Wednesday, reducing visibility to its lowest for the month of November in many years. The air quality was so poor that it was comparable to the post-Diwali spike in pollution. The air quality index for 4pm on November 2 was 432, in the "severe" category, while the index on October 31 (the day after Diwali) was 445.

The Met office said visibility at the IGI Airport was in the range of 300-500m -on a par with dense-fog days in December and January which was the worst the city has witnessed in November in many years. An official said Wednesday's visibility was poorer than in November 2012, when the city had the worst smog (for the month) in recent years.

The smog thickened by nightfall and at 9pm, visibility at IGI had dropped to 250m. Experts called for an "emgency response" as the air ergency response" as the air quality has been in "severe" or "very poor" levels for more than a week now. On Wednesday , PM 2.5 (fine, respirable pollution particles) concentrations peaked to "dangerous" levels in the morning. PM 2.5 levels crossed highs of more than 700 micrograms per cubic metres at various lo cations such as R K Puram, Punjabi Bagh and Anand Vihar on Wednesday morning after 7.30 am. The PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) levels peaked to 1,600 micrograms per cubic metres at these locations and remained higher than 1,000 micrograms per cubic metres for most of the day.

Scientists at air quality monitoring agencies said the very high levels of pollution were due to the cumulative impact of crop residue burning in neighbouring states and pollutants emitted on Diwali. "Look at the largescale crop stubble burning in Punjab. NASA images show smoke has spread all over the region. The pollutants cannot disperse because of the calm conditions," said a scientist from DPCC.

"The crop fires have been going on for weeks now. Also, the firecrackers burst on Diwali are still hanging in the air. There is no immediate intervention to address this. We need the government to take emergency action now. How else will the levels come down?" said Anumita Roy Chowdhury from the Centre for Science and Environment.

Please click here to read more.