Delhi Continues To Reel Under 'Very Poor' Air Quality, Noida Schools To Remain Closed

Delhi faced severe air pollution, with an AQI of 362 and stations like Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 412.

Delhi continued to reel under "very poor" air quality and pollution woes as a layer of smog covered the city. On Sunday, the city recorded an Air Quality Index of 362, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. 

Some of the stations in the city recorded AQI above 400 including Alipur (410), Anand Vihar (412), Bawana (401), Dwarka-Sector 8 (400), Jahangirpuri (402), Narela (410), Nehru Nagar (408), Sonia Vihar (408), Vivek Vihar (404), and Wazirpur (409). 

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", 401 and 450 "severe" and above 450 "severe-plus". 

The worsened air quality has been taking a toll on the health of the residents in the city, especially for patients with pre-existing lung diseases, doctors say.

"Pollution is increasing day by day. It is a concerning matter. The people go for morning walks and being exposed to pollution at this hour is concerning...," a resident complained. 

The air pollution aggravates diseases by introducing particulate matter into the lungs, Ankita Gupta, Assistant Professor in the Department of Respiratory Medicine told PTI. 

In view of the poor air quality, the district administration in Gautam Budh Nagar ordered extension of online classes  in all educational institutions across the district till November 25 (Monday).

Smog Engulfs Mumbai 

Mumbai also witnessed bad air on Sunday with a thick layer of smog engulfing the city. According to CPCB, the city recorded an Air Quality Index of 194 as of 8 am on Sunday. 

While the overall AQI of the city was in the moderate category, several stations reported 'poor' air quality while Nanadeep Garden recorded "very poor" air quality with 306 AQI.

The stations with poor air quality included Chembur-TISS (253), IMD Colaba (250), Fire Station Malad (268), Baptista Garden (225), BMC Shastri Garden Worli (238), Abhinav Nagar Borivali (279), Bandra Kurla Complex (241), Chembur (250), Sewri (262), Gokul Nagar Bhiwandi (256), Bhayandar West (213), Nerul Navi (217), and Katrap Badlapur (217)