With deteriorating air quality in the national Capital, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), asked people to stay indoors and avoid all physical activities.
Significantly, no major changes have been recorded in the concentrations of prominent pollutants on the meters of National Ambient Air Quality Index (NAAQI) as values of both Particulate Matters (10 and 2.5 ) were recorded at 380 and 179 in microcubic par gram , however, the overall Average Air Quality Index (AQI ) was recorded 389.
“Avoid all Physical activity outdoor and move activities indoors. Those suffering from asthma should keep relief medicines handy. Avoid all Physical activity outdoor and move activities indoors”, SAFAR’s health advisory stated.
“Go for a short walk instead of a jog and take more breaks. Stop any activity level if you experience any unusual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or fatigue. If the room has windows, close them. If the air conditioner provides a fresh air intake option, keep that closed. Avoid burning of wood, candles or incense. Keep the room clean - don’t vacuum. Do wet mopping to reduce dust. Masks known as N-95 or P-100 respirators may only help if you go out,” the advisory read further.
Incidentally, Delhi’s air quality was in the ‘very poor’ category from Thursday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions that slowed dispersion of pollutants, with forecast of significant deterioration in pollution levels over the weekend.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said seven areas in Delhi, including Mundka, Rohini and Wazirpur, recorded ‘severe’ air quality, while in 25 other areas the air pollution level was in the ‘very poor’ category.
The level of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer) was recorded at 200 and the PM10 level was recorded at 351 on CPCB meter.
In NCR, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Noida recorded ‘very poor’ air quality while Gurugram recorded moderate air quality, CPCB data showed.