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 Residents of the sprawling Indian capital, which already ranks among
the world's most polluted cities, complained of eyes watering and
aggravated coughs as levels of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter that
reaches deep into the lungs, rose alarmingly.
Air quality usually worsens in New Delhi ahead of Diwali, the
festival of lights, and the Supreme Court temporarily banned the
sale of firecrackers, aiming to lessen the risk to health.
But many still lit fireworks across the capital late into the night,
either using old stocks or buying them from neighboring states.
Some environment activists said the court order was poorly enforced
and firecrackers were still available to celebrate one of north
India's biggest festivals.
"Breathe nitrate and ammonia, home grown, hand made!" said
environmentalist Vimlendu Jha in a Twitter post calling for city
authorities to declare a public emergency.
An index of air quality had crossed the "hazardous" limit of 300 on
Friday, the most severe level on a U.S. embassy scale of measurement
which rates a reading of 50 as good and anything above that as a
cause for concern.
Some parts of Delhi such as Mandir Marg showed an air quality
reading of 941, close enough to the maximum level of 999 beyond
which no readings are available. The index measures concentrations
of PM 2.5, PM 10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide among
other indicators.
A hazardous level is an alert in which everyone may experience ill
effects and are advised to stay indoors.
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Apart from the firecracker ban, the Supreme Court also ordered
diesel generators and a power plant to be shut down to try to reduce
the pollution. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control)
Authority also ordered some brick kilns to close and a halt to the
burning of rubbish.
Dipankar Saha, a scientist at the government's Central Pollution
Control Board, said the still weather had also played a part in the
toxic haze hanging over the city.
But pollution levels were better than at last year's Diwali when
crop burning in nearby states and firecrackers combined.
"It was going to be hard to beat last year's level in any case," he
said.
(Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani)
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