Tag: #AirPollution

Delhi’s Air Quality ‘Severe’ At 442, Temperature Drops To 5 Degrees Celsius

By LokMarg

The air quality index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the ‘severe’ category on Wednesday, with a thin layer of fog covering parts of the city and limiting visibility.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature dropped to 5 degrees Celsius in the national capital on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the temperature was recorded at 7.4 degrees Celsius in Delhi at 2.30 am, as per the IMD.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was measured as 442 at 7 am in the national capital on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 421 at 7 AM.

AQI in several areas of the national capital was recorded as poor. 458 at ITO, 471 at Alipur, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 443, DTU 432, IGI Airport (T3) 418, RK Puram 464, DU North Campus 436, at 7 am on Wednesday.

However, the AQI in some areas was better and was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category. Chandni Chowk’s AQI was recorded as 374, 348 at Lodhi Road, 344 at Dilshad Garden and 367 at NSIT Dwarka.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is severe.

Amidst the cold, Air Force personnel were seen rehearsing for the 78th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path.

Avinash who had come from Maharashtra to visit India Gate said while coming to Delhi he faced breathing issues due to the pollution.

“I have come on a Delhi ride with my bike. When I was going towards Gurugram I was having a little breathing issue,” he told ANI.

Bhagat Singh, a resident of the city said that due to pollution number of people coming for morning walks to parks has decreased as people are facing difficulty breathing.

“Pollution has increased in the past two days and we are facing difficulty breathing. Due to pollution, the number of people coming for morning walks to parks has decreased,” Singh told ANI.

Anant Kumar who had come to visit India Gate told ANI, “Suddenly we are seeing how much pollution has increased, earlier there was some relief in the middle but then suddenly there is a problem. I feel some action should be taken.”

GRAP stage IV measures have been in effect in the entire NCR since December 16 after the deterioration in air quality.

This decision came after Delhi’s AQI surpassed the 400 mark. On Monday night, the AQI was reported as 399 at 9 PM and crossed into the severe zone at 401 by 10 PM. (ANI)

Fresh Air

#Toxic Air IX – ‘Fresh Air Is Luxury For Me’

By LokMarg


It is not possible in big cities, where the vehicles never stop running, where the air is laden with dust and pollutants. But the life and the air of big cities has now seeped into small-town India. Since I have grown up in a village, breathing fresh air, I can feel the difference in the air more acutely, more pronouncedly, unlike big city people. Air pollution has started scarring everyone’s lives.

A craftsman like me, who has to work extensively with wood is probably impacted more. I work at a furniture shop as a carpenter and have been in this profession for nearly two decades now. Twenty years ago, I did not pay much attention to my health — there was not much to worry about except the large amount of sawdust that went into my system.

Every day I single-handedly cut several pieces of wood –from small furniture to big wooden doors. Besides dealing with the sawdust, I have to put up with the nauseating smell of chemicals; and the ear-splitting sounds of machines. Now, apart from these work hazards, I have to worry about the growing levels of pollutants in the air.

There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. After these stressful work hours, I want to breathe clean, fresh air –but that has become a distant dream. Pollution from growing number of vehicles, toxic fumes from garbage dumps and the hazards at work, have probably shortened my life. My colleagues and I suffer from burning eyes, sensitive skin, and increased sensitivity to sound and smell after work-hours. Cough is also a constant companion, especially during the winters.

Since I work with wood, I understand how precious our trees are. I also take care to dispose off the sawdust and other waste from our shop properly. I try to make sure that I put every piece of wood to good use, so that nothing goes waste. I try and initiate conversations around green living if I see a sensitive customer.

And I try to keep it short, succinct and light. For every tree that is cut, a tree should be planted.  I have to earn a living, but that doesn’t mean I can’t care about the environment in my own little way. The need of the hour is to live in harmony with nature — and I know for sure that we are running out of time.