{"id":670593,"date":"2026-11-13T18:16:54","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T22:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/670593\/"},"modified":"2026-11-13T18:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T22:16:54","slug":"air-pollution-in-delhi-turns-critical-severe-level-recorded-at-21-monitoring-stations-pm2-5-concentration-more-than-doubles-in-24-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/670593\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Pollution in Delhi Turns Critical; Severe Level Recorded at 21 Monitoring Stations, PM2.5 Concentration More Than Doubles in 24 Hours"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Air<\/figure>\n

New Delhi: Air pollution in the national capital Delhi has once again escalated to a dangerously high level. On Thursday, the air quality in the city sharply deteriorated, severely impacting daily life. Among the 58 air quality monitoring stations across the city, 21 recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 400, placing them in the 'Severe' category. Over the past 24 hours, the concentration of PM2.5\u2014ultrafine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the lungs\u2014has more than doubled, raising serious health concerns.<\/p>\n

By 6 PM on Thursday, PM2.5 concentration in Delhi rose to 244 micrograms per cubic meter of air. This is over four times the national 24-hour average air quality standard of 60 micrograms per cubic meter. Health experts warn that such fine particles, due to their ability to enter the bloodstream, can cause serious health issues. Throughout the day, a thick smog comprising smoke and fog enveloped the Delhi sky, significantly reducing visibility in many parts of the city.<\/p>\n

The worsening conditions have been attributed to a combination of high humidity, low wind speeds, and atmospheric conditions that hinder the upward dispersion of pollutants. An analysis of air pollution and weather data released by the government identified two main factors responsible for the rapid rise in pollution levels.<\/p>\n

The first is a significant reduction in the height of the atmospheric mixing layer, which affects the spread of pollution particles. This layer, approximately 1,400 meters high two days ago, shrank to about 400 meters. Consequently, pollutants emitted from vehicles, industrial sources, and other origins became trapped closer to the ground.<\/p>\n

The second factor is the strengthened northwesterly winds\u2014originating from Punjab and Haryana\u2014which carry smoke from agricultural residue burning into Delhi. Meteorological data indicate wind speeds of up to 34 kilometers per hour at higher altitudes, facilitating the transport of pollutants from neighbouring states into the capital. Simultaneously, surface-level winds remain very weak, preventing the swift dispersal of local pollutants.<\/p>\n

These combined factors have compounded to rapidly worsen the city\u2019s air quality.<\/p>\n

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the citywide AQI rose to 387 at 10 PM on Thursday, marking an increase of 74 points compared to the previous day. The AQI was 313 at 2 AM on Thursday and increased to 366 by 6 PM. Data shows that pollution levels during some evening hours rose by an average of seven to eight points. The official daily bulletin released at 4 PM reported Delhi\u2019s AQI as 350, categorizing it as 'Very Poor.' However, pollution levels climbed further in subsequent hours.<\/p>\n

The most alarming development is the sharp rise in the number of monitoring stations registering 'Severe' pollution. While only one station crossed the AQI 400 mark on Wednesday, the number increased to 21 by 10 PM on Thursday. This indicates widespread severe pollution across multiple city areas.<\/p>\n

Under Indian air quality standards, AQI levels from 301 to 400 fall under the 'Very Poor' category, while levels from 401 to 500 are classified as 'Severe.' Experts emphasize that air pollution at the 'Severe' level can impact healthy individuals and cause serious health problems, particularly exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.<\/p>\n

According to the meteorological department\u2019s forecast, there is little likelihood of significant improvement in air quality over the next few days. The absence of rain and continued low wind speeds present major challenges. Surface-level wind speeds are expected to remain between 5 and 10 kilometres per hour in the morning and evening for the next three days, insufficient to effectively disperse pollution.<\/p>\n

Without rain or strong winds, particulate matter from vehicles, construction activities, industries, and other sources is likely to remain trapped in Delhi\u2019s atmosphere. The intensification of the winter season further complicates the issue by lowering nighttime temperatures and weakening air circulation.<\/p>\n

Health experts warn that rising air pollution levels pose a significant public health threat. Dr. Manoj Sharma, Director of the Internal Medicine Department at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, explains that inhaling polluted air worsens the health of individuals suffering from heart, kidney, and lung diseases, with those having asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular ailments being especially vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Children are among the most at-risk groups, as their lungs and immune systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to the harmful effects of pollution. The likelihood of bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections also increases. The elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses are advised to take additional precautions.<\/p>\n

Doctors recommend minimizing unnecessary outdoor activities while pollution levels remain high. Activities like exercise, running, and sports in open spaces should especially be avoided during peak pollution periods in the mornings and evenings.<\/p>\n

People who need to go outside are advised to wear properly fitting N95 masks to reduce inhalation of harmful particles. However, experts caution against assuming that wearing a mask makes strenuous outdoor exercise safe in polluted air.<\/p>\n

Efforts should be made to limit the ingress of polluted outdoor air into homes and offices, and where possible, appropriate air purification systems should be used. Those experiencing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent cough, chest pain, or unusual fatigue should seek immediate medical attention.<\/p>\n

The recurring pollution crisis in Delhi is a result of a combination of factors, including the burning of agricultural waste in neighbouring states, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, dust from construction activities, and adverse weather conditions. This annual challenge continues to pose a serious public health risk in the capital.<\/p>\n

n<\/p>\n

Original Malayalam report: Malayalam Daily News<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Delhi: Air pollution in the national capital Delhi has once again escalated to a dangerously high level. On Thursday, the air quality in the city sharply deteriorated, severely impacting daily life. Among the 58 air quality monitoring stations across the city, 21 recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 400, placing them in the 'Severe' category. Over the past 24 hours, the concentration of PM2.5\u2014ultrafine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the lungs\u2014has more than doubled, raising serious health concerns. By 6 PM on Thursday, PM2.5 concentration in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":670594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[582,170397,47748],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-670593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-india","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=670593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/670593\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/670594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=670593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=670593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malayalamdailynews.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=670593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}