AQI in Delhi drops to 226; residents face breathing issues

New Delhi, Oct 19: A thin layer of smog engulfed the national capital on Saturday as the Air Quality Index dropped to 226, categorized as 'Poor' as per the Central Pollution Control Board.

The highest AQI was at the Akshardham and Anand Vihar area at 334 categorized as 'Very Poor', followed by AQI of 253 at AIIMS and surrounding areas.

At India Gate, the AQI dropped to 251, categorized as 'Poor.

A resident, Ashish Kumar Meena said that pollution near Akshardham area had increased a lot in the past two days which had been causing problems to the residents.

Speaking to ANI, he said "The pollution level here has increased a lot in the last two days. It has led to choking in the throat and breathing issues and has also been causing irritation in the eyes. After Diwali, the pollution levels will increase more. The government needs to take steps to control the level of pollution. People who are burning substances in the fire should be imposed with fines. The ones who have respiratory problems must be suffering so much."

Another resident said that the people should use more public transport which would help in reducing the pollution.

"People should use more of public transport and try to use carpooling. This would help in reducing the pollution levels in the city," he said.

On October 18, Bharartiya Janata National Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla reached the 'Smog Tower' to protest over the same. Slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP leader said that Arvind Kejriwal had cheated the people in the national capital in the name of air pollution now their health has been put at risk.

"Today Delhi has become a gas chamber due to blame game politics of the Aam Aadmi Party. They had made big promises that they would make Delhi pollution-free. Look at the condition of Yamuna today and Delhi has become a gas chamber. Aam Aadmi Party bans firecrackers on Diwali but the smog tower on which Rs 23 crore was spent has been locked... The way the Aam Aadmi Party has cheated people in the name of pollution and is working to make Delhi the most poisonous and polluted city, this will be exposed," said Poonawalla.