Facebook Pixel CAPITAL CATASTROPHE | Hindustan Times - newspaper - Lisez cet article sur Magzter.com
Passez à l'illimité avec Magzter GOLD

Passez à l'illimité avec Magzter GOLD

Obtenez un accès illimité à plus de 9 000 magazines, journaux et articles Premium pour seulement

$149.99
 
$74.99/Année

Essayer OR - Gratuit

CAPITAL CATASTROPHE

Hindustan Times

|

November 04, 2023

Air deteriorates deep into severe zone, readings nearly max out at monitoring stations across city

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

CAPITAL CATASTROPHE

Every silhouette was blurred, every blink painful, and every breath toxic. The national capital was trapped in a dome of grey on Friday with the already thick, toxic air turning more noxious as the city's pollution worsened to one of its most dangerous levels ever recorded.

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) deteriorated to 468, a reading deep in the "severe" category that underlined the abject collapse and failure of all administrative efforts to snuff out a hazard that plays itself out with clockwork precision every November.

The air leaves even healthy residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) susceptible to serious long-term illnesses, while the outlook is even more bleak for children, the elderly, and people with existing illnesses.

Friday's AQI was a sharp deterioration from 392 at 4pm a day ago, and the worst since 471 on November 12, 2021-only underlining how little has changed over the years.

The AQI last year peaked at 450 on November 3. In fact, the air quality on Friday was briefly at its worst level in three years,  as the AQI plunged to 475 at noon, the most toxic since November 10, 2020 (476).

A deadly concoction of factors together enmeshed to drop a sooty shroud on the city.

Northwesterly winds, blowing towards Delhi from Punjab and Haryana, brought with them dark, toxic plumes of smoke from simmering paddy fields.

According to the Union Ministry of earth sciences' Decision Support System which provides estimates of the constituents of Delhi's pollution - farm fire smoke was responsible for just about 35% of the city's PM2.5 (ultra-fine particles).

PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE Hindustan Times

Hindustan Times Delhi

'Kerala Story 2' hearing: State is secular, says HC

The Kerala high court on Tuesday said the people of the state “live in total harmony” while questioning the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the producers of the movie Kerala Story 2, over its alleged portrayal of the state.

time to read

1 min

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

Samantha calls herself and Raj Nidimoru an ‘irritating couple’

Samantha, who married filmmaker Raj Nidimoru in December last year, has opened up about what married life looks like for them.

time to read

1 min

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

Hindustan Times Delhi

VICKY ON KATRINA AS A MUM: SHE'S A WARRIOR

Actor Vicky Kaushal says he is 'incredibly proud' of his wife, actor Katrina Kaif, and credits her for being a 'superhero' in her journey as a mother

time to read

1 min

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

Tricky Zimbabwe next as hosts assess the big picture

In a tournament as compressed as the T20 World Cup, one defeat can be absorbed, but two can prove disastrous.

time to read

2 mins

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

SC stays Kerala HC order quashing citizen response programme

THE INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT COLLECTING FEEDBACK FROM HOUSEHOLDS ON WELFARE MEASURES

time to read

1 mins

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

'Religious tourism a major focus area'

{ RON POHL } BWH HOTELS

time to read

2 mins

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

Hindustan Times Delhi

Footnotes no more: What next for Associates?

As seamer Brad Currie finished his media duties in the mixed zone of the Wankhede Stadium after Scotland's last game of the 2026 T20 World Cup, he spotted some chocolate cupcakes at the catering area.

time to read

3 mins

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

Hindustan Times Delhi

Thar rams into car in Goa, kills 65-year-old

An 65-year-old man was killed in north Goa on Monday after a rented Thar SUV carrying a group of young tourists rammed into his vehicle at a crossroad junction, police said.

time to read

1 min

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

India is now at a clean energy inflection point

The world today is increasingly getting split into two kinds of countries.

time to read

3 mins

February 25, 2026

Hindustan Times Delhi

CM LAYS STONE FOR ₹264-CRORE INFRA UPGRADES IN MUNDKA

In an effort to upgrade civic infrastructure in rural parts of the Capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for 49 development projects worth around ₹264 crore in Mundka Assembly constituency.

time to read

1 min

February 25, 2026

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size