Delhi experiences dip in pollution levels, but air quality in capital still remains in 'severe' category

Delhi’s pollution levels decreased on Saturday but continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category, even as authorities expressed hope that the air quality would improve during the day due to dispersion of pollutants. The pollution level that dipped to “severe plus” is slowly reducing due to dispersion of pollutants, Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research institute (SAFAR) said. [caption id=“attachment_4214389” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] According to the data by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the PM10 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 10 mm) was recorded at 522 in Delhi-NCR and 529 in Delhi on Saturday. The capital city has been experiencing high levels of pollution recently, largely on account of a dust storm hitting western India. On 13 June , pollution had entered ‘hazardous’ levels, with parts of the city seeing an air quality index of 999. Such high levels of pollutants in the air, according to India’s Air Quality Index, can cause respiratory effects on healthy people,and  have serious health impacts on people with lung/heart diseases. On Wednesday, the Delhi L-G Anil Baijal asked government agencies to sprinkle water on central verges and roadsides, according to Hindustan Times. The L-G has also ordered all construction activities to be halted till Sunday. With inputs from PTI