'Felt Irritation In My Eyes Due To Smog, Stubble Burning In Punjab & Haryana Polluting Delhi,' Says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

The deteriorating air quality in Delhi and the alarming AQI levels in the Delhi-NCR region has got everyone worried as Delhi once again turns into a gas chamber. The severe air quality is also causing health-hazards with people complaining about several symptoms. On Friday (November 3), UP CM Yogi Adityanath, speaking at an event, said that large-scale stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana was responsible for the severe air pollution in Delhi.

Speaking at the Digvijay Nath Post Graduate College in Gorakhpur, CM Yogi said that as soon as he landed in Ghaziabad from Lucknow, "it was all dark in Ghaziabad" and that he felt "extreme irritation in his eyes."

The UP CM added that when he had left from Lucknow for Delhi, the skies were clear. But by the time he reached Ghaziabad, it was "dark."

Yogi said that he told people to check NASA's satellite update on stubble burning and it was found that Punjab and Haryana were in the red as stubble burning was taking place in the states.

Deteriorating air quality in Delhi

The air quality in the national capital turned 'severe' on Friday morning with Mundka recording the highest Air Quality Index (498).

As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in the Lodhi Road area was recorded at 438, in Jahangirpuri at 491, in the RK Puram area and in IGI Airport (T3) at 486 and 473 respectively.

Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms, which are easy to understand. It transforms complex air quality data of various pollutants into a single number (index value), nomenclature, and colour.