New Delhi: The national capital woke up to yet another day of toxic air on Saturday, as pollution levels surged across Delhi with several monitoring stations reporting Air Quality Index (AQI) readings above 400, putting the city firmly in the ‘severe’ category.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm, stood at 361, placing the city in the ‘very poor’ zone and making it the second most polluted city in India on the day.
Pollution Peaks Across the City
Data from 38 monitoring stations across the national capital revealed alarming readings in several areas.
- Wazirpur recorded an AQI of 420,
- Burari at 418,
- Vivek Vihar at 411,
- Nehru Nagar at 406,
- ITO at 402, and
- Alipur at 404.
These areas reported pollution levels classified as ‘severe’, posing a serious threat to public health, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), air quality also remained grim. Noida recorded an AQI of 354, Greater Noida 336, and Ghaziabad 339 — all falling in the ‘very poor’ category, according to CPCB data.
Rising Sources of Pollution
Authorities identified PM2.5 and PM10 as the primary pollutants. The Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality forecasting estimated that stubble burning accounted for around 30% of Delhi’s pollution on Sunday, while transport emissions contributed 15.2%.
Satellite imagery from Friday showed 100 stubble-burning incidents in Punjab, 18 in Haryana, and 164 in Uttar Pradesh, further worsening Delhi’s smog levels.
Just a day earlier, Delhi had recorded an AQI of 322, ranking first among the country’s most polluted cities. The situation has steadily deteriorated since Diwali, with pollution levels oscillating between the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ zones.
Forecast: No Immediate Relief
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has warned that the situation is likely to persist, with the air quality expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category over the coming days.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51–100 “satisfactory”, 101–200 “moderate”, 201–300 “poor”, 301–400 “very poor”, and 401–500 “severe”, as per CPCB standards.
Public health experts have urged citizens to avoid outdoor activity, use N95 masks, and run air purifiers indoors as short-term measures while stressing the need for long-term emission control policies to combat Delhi’s chronic air pollution problem.