People were seen with masks against the air pollution, after experiencing good air quality during the first half of December. File
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
Delhi continued to be the most polluted place in India — for the fifth consecutive day — with the overall air quality of the national capital continuing to be in the “severe” category on Friday (December 20, 2024) morning, according to official data.
Delhi’s overall 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was 433 (severe) at 9 a.m. on Friday, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
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The air pollution in Delhi is — over 17 times — the limit prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), according to official data.
The overall level of PM2.5 (a chief pollutant) in Delhi was 255.3 micrograms per cubic meter at 8 a.m. on Thursday, as per the CPCB, which is 17.02 times the WHO’s permissible limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter for a 24-hour period.
Severe level air pollution “affects healthy people” and “seriously impacts” those with existing diseases, according to CPCB.
Many other cities and towns of the National Capital Region (NCR) and north India also reeled under “very poor” air quality on Friday morning.
Published – December 20, 2024 09:39 am IST
