New Delhi: With winter setting in, the air quality in Delhi has severely deteriorated. Air pollution levels in Delhi are now four times higher than normal, with the worst during morning hours when there is a visible haze.
The Meteorological Department (MeT) has predicted a return of smog and related conditions in the national capital and National Capital Regions (NCR) in the coming week.
As per reports, a depression is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal in the next 48 hours, which is likely to be succeeded by another system of intensified low pressure.
As a result of the two systems, there are chances of further development of some smog in Delhi and surrounding regions.
Last month, the US Embassy in Delhi established an air quality monitoring programme with on-site measuring instruments and it was found that the Air Quality Index value 260 falls in the category of “very unhealthyâ€.
The 260 AQI is a measure based on the amount of fine particulate or PM 2.5 in the air, a standard recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and which allows the comparison against the US standard measures.
AQI value 260 gives way to serious lung and hearts diseases. Babies, children and senior citizens are most vulnerable. Such degradation in air quality can cause premature mortality in persons.
Diwali season only worsened the scenario as the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) this year was at 531 mg per cubic meter in Delhi a day after Diwali.
 This amount is five times higher and people exposed to it may be at a risk of developing respiratory issues. The national capital was followed by Kolkata where the SPM level was 417 mg per cubic metre, and Chennai at 320 mg per cubic metre.
Pollution levels in Indian cities have often been compared to Chinese counterparts such as Beijing, notorious for the smog that prompted some Anglophone residents to dub it “Greyjing”.
With ANI inputs