Delhi’s toxic air equals smoking 49 cigarettes a day as AQI hits an alarming 978
Haryana followed Delhi closely as with an AQI of 631, the neighbour state is experiencing air pollution level equal to smoking 33.25 cigarettes each day.
Increasingly severe air quality also means that it is equivalent to the amount of cigarettes a person could be breathing in or smoking every day. With the national capital being at the worst of it all, at an AQI of 978, a person could breath 49.02 cigarettes every day.
Since October end, the air quality in Delhi has been on the down low and even worsening with each day, the same being caused by multiple factors including firecrackers and stubble burning.
Delhi is choking
Delhi residents are facing their worst fears with an AQI worse than what they could have imagined.
According to aqi.in, the national capital's air quality index (AQI), as of 12:30 pm on November 18, stood at 978. This equals to smoking 49.02 cigarettes per day, i.e., in 24 hours.
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The Supreme Court also rapped the AAP-led state government over the delay in enforcing Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) despite the alarming rise in pollution levels in the national capital.
An apex court bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih stated that it would not permit any reduction in preventive measures under stage 4 of GRAP, even if the AQI drops below 450.
Notably, schools, except for grades 10 and 12, have opted for offline classes in view of the deteriorating pollution levels.
Haryana seconds Delhi
Delhi's neighbouring state of Haryana is the second worst. An AQI level of 631 is equal to smoking 33.25 cigarettes each day.
Both Haryana and Delhi fall prey to smog and those toxic particles from stubble burning every year. Haryana on Monday is expected to settled at a minimum temperature of 16.55°C and a maximum of 27.56°C.
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Uttar Pradesh
According to aqi.in, Uttar Pradesh has an air quality index of 273, which is equivalent to smoking 10.16 cigarettes per day.
The weather in UP is such that the maximum temperature stands at 31°C and minimum temperature at 13°C. The humidity in the state stood at 21%. Meanwhile, the PM2.5 quantity at 122 µg/m³.
Punjab
Punjab is notably among the states with the most common case of stubble burning. The state stood with an AQI of 233, equalling 8.34 cigarettes each day.
Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Atishi Marlena on Saturday asked if the Punjab government, led by her party, AAP, can reduce stubble burning by 80 per cent, then "why are the cases increasing in other states".
Punjab's maximum temperature stands at 28°C and the minimum temperature at 12°C. The humidity level in the state is at 18 per cent.
Meanwhile, the PM2.5 value as per aqi.in is at 73 µg/m³.
State smoking the least amount of cigarettes
According to a data map from 'India in pixels', Ladakh has such a clean air quality that it is equivalent to smoking zero cigarettes each day.
The northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh has an air quality index of 13, which equals smoking 0.18 cigarettes per day, one of the lowest proportion in the nation. This also keeps the lungs of the state's residents happy.
The maximum temperature in the state stood at 25°C, while the minimum temperature stood at 18°C. Arunachal saw a humidity level of 45 per cent and the PM2.5 level was at 6 µg/m³.
