What is the Good Time to Go Out in Delhi Amid Air Pollution: Insights from IIT Kanpur Report
Key Recommendations to Mitigate Pollution Effects and Understand Seasonal Trends
The dangerous condition of air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas is a cause of concern every year. In this context, a report based on seven years of research conducted by IIT Kanpur from 2017 to 2023 was recently released. This report is very important to understand the increasing pollution in Delhi-NCR and its effects.
Key points of the report:
Time to go out: It is considered safest for children, elderly and all people to go out between 1 pm to 6 pm.
School breaks and travels: The first two weeks of November are considered most suitable for planning school holidays or travel outside Delhi.
Right time to open windows and doors: It is suggested to open balconies and doors only during the day, while they should be kept closed at night.
Ban on construction work: It is advised to postpone non-essential construction work till February.
According to the report, PM 2.5 levels peak from October to January. The pollution level was found to be highest between 10 and 11 am. Pollution increases continuously from the third week of October to the third week of November. At the same time, there is a high possibility of air quality reaching severe (Severe AQI) status again in the first week of January.
Delhi's air becomes poisonous in winter. The main reasons for this are stubble burning, smoke from vehicles, construction work, and accumulation of cold air. For many years, Delhi has been among the most polluted cities in the world. In a recent report, Delhi and many cities in India were included in the top 10 polluted cities in the world.
This study makes it clear that small changes and precautionary steps can help reduce the risk of poisonous air.