New Delhi continues to choke under thick smog as air quality remains at severe levels for the fourth straight day. In an effort to provide relief, the Delhi Fire Service has partnered with the city government to combat the pollution crisis engulfing the national capital.Video footage shows fire trucks spraying down heavily trafficked areas with their water streams cutting through the smothering haze.From this morning we have started spraying water. We have identified 13 hotspots, and our main focus will be on them. There are a lot of fire incidents during Diwali time. We are using the spare vehicles available to us. Right now 11 vehicles are on duty, explained Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg in an interview.Delhi Fire Services starts spraying water to curb pollutionRead @ANI Story | https://t.co/8YNGcKfBrm#Delhi #DelhiFireServices #DelhiAirQuality #DelhiPollution pic.twitter.com/irZVylJS95— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) November 5, 2023Delhi air qualityAccording to air quality data analysis organization SAFAR-India, Delhis overall Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked in at 410 today, a marginal improvement from yesterdays 504 reading but still firmly in hazardous territory. By location, Lodhi Road measured 385 (Very Poor) while the Delhi University area registered 456 (Severe).Drone footage from the skyline landmark Qutub Minar revealed a thick cloud of air pollution still lingering. Morning walkers in leafy Lodhi Gardens complained of breathing difficulties from the unrelenting smog.Delhis pollution misery has spread to its suburbs as well, with Noida also under a severe classification at an AQI of 466 per SAFAR-India. Neighboring Gurugram remains Very Poor with a 392 index reading.Medical experts on Delhi air pollution According to medical experts, healthy individuals should be breathing air with AQI scores under 50. The current levels over 400 times that threshold pose grave threats for those with pulmonary conditions and increase lung cancer risks city-wide.Alarmed by the conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai penned an urgent letter to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav. Rai called for a ban on entry of non-BS-VI emission standard vehicles from neighbouring states into the Delhi-NCR territory.He also requested an emergency convening of environment ministers of neighbouring states to address the cross-border crisis.
