The air quality in Delhi-NCR is in the ‘severe plus’ category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in most stations touching the 500-mark today, November 19. This is the seventh day that NCR has been covered in a dense layer of smog. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI at Delhi’s Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, Major Dhyan Chand Stadium and several other places touched the 500-mark at 5 AM on Tuesday.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, some of the areas with the worst AQI are Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (500), Dwarka sector-8 (498), Mundka (500), North Campus (500), RK Puram (499) and Wazirpur (500). AQI between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51-100 is “satisfactory”, 101-200 is “moderate”, 201-300 is “poor”, 301-400 is “very poor”, 401-500 is “severe” and above 500 is a “severe plus”. Air pollution can severely impact one’s health.
It can impact respiratory health, cardiovascular health and mental health among others. Air pollution can also worsen symptoms of allergy. Poor air quality significantly aggravates allergy symptoms by increasing the presence of airborne irritants like pollen, dust, and particulate matter.
When the AQI is high, pollutants can irritate the respiratory system, cause inflammation in the nasal passages and worsen conditions like hay fever and asthma. These pollutants also interact with allergens, thereby, triggering severe allergic reactions. People with pre-existing respirato.
