Air quality plunges to ‘severe’; Here’s how to protect yourself from smog

Smog, that appears as a thick haze with a brownish tint, is mostly caused by high concentrations of nitrogen oxides.

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As per experts, four groups of people are particularly sensitive to ozone and other air pollutants in smog. (Source: File Photo)

The air quality in Delhi-NCR plummeted to ‘severe’ in the days following Diwali as major pollutants were recorded as — PM 2.5 at 500 (severe) and PM 10 at 486 (very poor) — in the city’s Lodhi Road area, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data. The deteriorating air quality has been aided by winter setting in, and stubble burning picking up in neighbouring states like Punjab and Haryana. On Tuesday, five cities — Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Muradabad, and Panipat — recorded ‘severe’ levels of air pollution with an AQI of more than 400, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).