NEW DELHI: Haze shrouded India’s capital city again on Monday, with residents braving dangerous air quality to return to work after a weekend of clearer air and better weather. The air quality index of the US Embassy in New Delhi stood at “hazardous” levels of 497 as of 0630 GMT, with levels of airborne PM 2.5 - particles that can reach deep into the lungs - touching nearly 700 in parts of the city. A dip in wind speed and temperature is making air denser, trapping pollutants and worsening air quality, said Vivek Chattopadhyay, a senior programme manager at New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment. The smoke from fields mixes with vehicle exhaust and construction dust, making Delhi the world’s most-polluted capital. India’s Supreme Court last week chided authorities for their failure to curb the pollution and asked the city government, its neighbouring states and the federal government to work together to help improve air quality.

Source: New Strait Times November 11, 2019 07:49 UTC