NEW DELHI: The PM 2.5 levels have hit the emergency level on the Diwali night and the day after, which might cause severe respiratory disorder to people in next few days, observed the environmentalists of the city.
They suggested using pollution masks, especially for children and older citizens.
"Despite the cracker ban, the 24-hour average level of PM 2.5 during Diwali and the morning after have been 397 microgrammes per cubic metre.
"This is 6.6 times higher than the standards and is at an emergency level," said Anumita Roychowdhury of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Roychowdhury added that this is more than two times higher than the levels
during the pre-Diwali day, when the 24-hour average was 184 microgramme per cubic metre.
Experts said that direct comparison with 2016 Diwali has not been possible due to lack of data from all comparable monitoring stations.
According to the doctors of the capital if this condition continues for more than three-four days then a large number of people in the city would be affected by increasing number respiratory disorders.
The doctors also prescribed that every child and the old age people should use anti-air pollution mask.
They added that regular cleaning of the nose with semi-hot water should be practised to keep the respiratory tract clean.
However, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data, this year pre-Diwali pollution has been lower than the pre-Diwali pollution of 2016.
Last year the pre-Diwali pollution had already hit the severe level (4.9 times the standard) whereas this year it remained within the very poor category (2.9 times higher than the standard).
The data also showed that night time pollution in Delhi and NCR towns has been three to four times higher than the daytime pollution on Diwali day.
Thereafter the respiratory disorders might increase at the night rather than the day time.