AQI in ‘severe’ category, smog blankets Delhi

A time earlier, the AQI was recorded astatine 397, successful the ‘very poor’ category.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology forecast, the aerial prime is apt stay successful the ‘very poor’ class from Sunday to Tuesday. In the consequent six days, this inclination is expected to continue, it added.

A heavy furniture of mist and smog blanketed the metropolis during the greeting and evening hours, reducing visibility connected Saturday. While Safdarjung reported a minimum visibility of 300 m arsenic of 6.30 am, the visibility was 800 m astatine Palam. Moderate fog conditions are apt till November 27, arsenic per India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a upwind velocity of little than 6 kmph was witnessed successful Delhi connected Saturday forenoon, pursuing which calm winds were reported. An mean upwind velocity beneath 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersal of pollutants, arsenic per the CPCB.

A dip successful temperatures and fog screen besides kept pollutants trapped successful the atmosphere. The daytime somesthesia was recorded astatine 29.4 degrees Celsius, 4 notches supra the seasonal average, according to IMD. The minimum somesthesia was adjacent mean astatine 11.4 degrees Celsius connected Saturday. Humidity levels fluctuated betwixt 96 and 66 per cent during the day.

Respiratory problems: NCPCR seeks information to hole SOP for children

With prevailing mediocre aerial prime successful the Capital, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sought information from doctors crossed Delhi connected children suffering from respiratory problems. Based connected the data, which it volition taxable to the Central government, the committee volition found an SOP oregon guidelines for attending to children suffering from respiratory diseases, it told pulmonologists from crossed the metropolis astatine a caller meeting.

“We cannot make an SOP oregon guidelines until and unless we person immoderate benignant of data. Why are we waiting for a catastrophe to hap and past instrumentality cognisance?” said Dr Divya Gupta, Member (Child Health, Care, Welfare), NCPCR. The committee has asked each the Central and authorities authorities hospitals, including AIIMS Delhi, to hole the data.

She noted that determination was nary information presently that says however galore children are struggling and are getting into the OPD clinics with respiratory problems. “My acquisition was to cod the information and the factors liable down this,” she said.

“Once we person information for 1 oregon 3 months, we request to categorise it successful assorted segments including urban, rural, slums, semiurban, antheral and pistillate children. This information should beryllium presented to the authorities and Central governments,” Dr Gupta added.

So far, she said, backstage paediatric doctors person not participated successful the meeting.