Lower winter temperatures and higher moisture, coupled with lower wind speeds tend to trap pollutants in the atmosphere, said Roychowdhury. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology also said that changes in the speed and direction of the wind, and more stubble burning, had made the air more toxic. The sale of air purifiers had surged 40% from last year because of increasing public awareness about the effects of pollution on health, company and industry officials said. New Delhi and its satellite cities account for the bulk of air purifier sales but they are picking up in other cities such as Mumbai and Bengaluru. The air purifier market is dominated by Unilever's, Blueair, Honeywell International Inc and Britain's Dyson.

Source: Dhaka Tribune November 05, 2018 12:33 UTC