NEW DELHI: Delhi’s suitability as an international sporting venue came under a haze today as mask- wearing Sri Lankan cricketers laid bare the bitter reality of the city’s ‘very poor’ air, toxic enough to trigger serious respiratory ailments.
The city’s image took a serious beating for the second time in a month — the Delhi Half Marathon had taken place on November 19 under similar conditions — replete with particulates and noxious gases, which experts said were hazardous for those undertaking strenuous outdoor activities.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, PM2.5 and PM10 are the most dominant pollutants in the city’s air but it has also high presence of toxic gases such as nitrogen dioxide (N02) and, at places, ground-level ozone (O3).
Local authorities maintained that ‘very poor’ air quality is normal during this time of the year, but by wearing masks the Lankans may have followed one of the key elements of the Delhi Government’s recent health advisory — “wear N95 masks during peak pollution hours”.
“The pollution level is in very poor category. This is normal during this time of the year. Levels of particulate matter fluctuate depending on meteorological conditions. But I am not sure whether it is advisable to play in the open wearing masks,” a senior Delhi Pollution Control Committee official said. (AGENCIES)
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