Delhi air pollution: Rise in asthma patients, double penalty on stubble burning as AQI drops to ‘severe’, know details

Delhi Air Quality (AQI) dropped to ‘severe’ category on Thursday amid rising cases of people suffering from asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other breathing issues. Meanwhile, Delhi government has increased the penalty for stubble burning to combat rising air pollution.

With the onset of winter, Delhi's pollution woes have increased and are likely to worsen over the coming days. On Thursday, sixteen weather stations recorded an AQI above 400 with seven more stations seeing the air quality deteriorate to a "severe" level by evening. Here are all the latest updates on Delhi air pollution and AQI levels in key areas on Friday, November 8. 

Delhi AQI today and all updates related to air pollution in the city

-As Delhi is turning into a gas chamber with constant deterioration in air quality, more people are witnessing health issues like asthma, COPD, etc. AIIMS Delhi has seen a sudden rise in OPD patients with respiratory health issues like asthma, COPD, etc, according to Dr Karan Madan, Associate Professor Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at AIIMS Delhi.

-“We are seeing that patients are having a lot of problems. Patients who have respiratory diseases like asthma, COPD patients. We are seeing a lot more patients in the OPD now. Many patients have complained their asthma is getting worse. And many of our patients have come with severe exacerbation, what we call a severe worsening of symptoms. And many patients have required admission also. So I think it is a tough time for our patients who have respiratory problems... We have seen approximately a 15 to 20% increase in the number of patients who have come with worsening respiratory problems, patients who have pre-existing asthma, we are seeing a lot more patients with asthma exacerbation,” Madan told ANI. 

-The government is still struggling to curb stubble burning cases in Delhi and neighbouring areas. To curb these cases amid rising air pollution, the Centre on Wednesday amended the COmmission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) rules for the National Capital Region and adjoining areas, reported Mint earlier. The Union Government has increased the penalty on stubble burning to up to ₹30,000.

-The pollution levels in the national capital surged significantly over the past few days. The rise in Delhi air pollution coincides with Chhath Puja celebration which requires devotees to stay outside their homes throughout night making them vulnerable to poor AQI.

-Delhi's real-time AQI remained at 377 at 7 am on Friday, November 8, according to www.aqi.in. The Central Pollution Control Board had recorded Delhi AQI at 382 at 6 pm.

-Sixteen weather stations recorded an AQI above 400 with seven more stations seeing the air quality deteriorate to a "severe" level by evening.

-These include Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Mundka, Jahangirpuri, Wazirpur, Okhla Phase 2, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, Sonia Vihar, and Patparganj, among others.