The air quality in Delhi will remain worse for a week due to high level of suspended Particulate Matter (PM) which can cause serious respiratory diseases among children and elderly, experts said.
On Friday, PM 10 was recorded at 312 microgram per cubic (mpcm) in Punjbai Bagh area while the prescribed standard is 100 mpcm. PM 2.5 was also recorded high at 218mpcm against the prescribed standard at 60 mpcm.
“Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles,” said Gopal Krishna, Environmentalist, Toxic Watch Alliance; and the level of Particulate Matter is very high which can take a week minimum to get settle down.
“Vehicular emission play major role in the contribution of PM in air. Every day above 1400 new cars run on Delhi roads. Both, the State and Central Government have to act together to overcome the worse situation in the Capital,” said Krishna.
At Anand Vihar, level of PM 10 was recorded 646 mpcm and 324 was PM 2.5 while in RK Puram, PM 10 was recorded 295 and PM 2.5 was 229.
“Bursting crackers are not the reason for the poor air quantity in Delhi. The regular emission from vehicles and old age trucks create the pollution level high,” he said. The smoke created by the burning of paddy fields in Punjab is also affecting the Delhi air, he added.
Experts say these particulate matters are extremely dangerous for people suffering from asthma and other breathing and cardiac disorders as well as the children and elderly.