Heavy smog grips Delhi-NCR as government activates Stage 2 plan
Delhi-NCR is stuck under a heavy blanket of smog, with Delhi's air quality hitting "Very Poor" levels (AQI 379) and some spots like ITO and Jahangirpuri crossing into the "Severe" zone.
The government has rolled out Stage two of its emergency plan, hoping to keep things from getting worse.
El Nino could prolong Delhi smog
Stage two means stricter rules: less traffic on roads, bans on diesel generators, and more dust control.
But there's another twist: experts say this year's intense El Nino is making things worse by slowing winds and cutting rainfall, so pollution just hangs around longer.
As Dr. Manoj Kumar, Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), puts it, "El Nino could increase the risk of extended pollution episodes in Delhi this winter by altering local weather conditions over northern India," which isn't great news for anyone breathing Delhi's air right now.