Delhi’s air quality deteriorated rapidly on Saturday evening, reaching its worst level this season. The hourly average Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 387 at 11 pm, pushing the capital toward the “severe” threshold. This spike occurred even as the Commission tasked with pollution control, the CAQM, chose not to invoke the stricter emergency measures mandated by the Supreme Court.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI steadily worsened from 322 at 4 pm on Friday to 361 by 4 pm on Saturday. At the time of reporting, twenty-one out of the 39 monitoring stations were recording “severe” readings.
CAQM Faces Scrutiny for Delay
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which is responsible for enforcing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR), did not convene a meeting or announce the enforcement of Stage 3 restrictions.
This delay is notable because the AQI crossed 350—a crucial threshold at which the Supreme Court, in its December 2024 order in the M.C. Mehta vs Union of India case, directed that Stage 3 measures must be implemented immediately as a precautionary step. The court lowered the trigger point for ‘severe’ curbs from 400 to 350.
CM Urges Voluntary Measures
As the city battled intensifying grey haze and an acrid smell, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta appealed to residents to adopt voluntary measures, including increased use of public transport, carpooling, and encouraging private institutions to allow work-from-home arrangements.
On Friday, CM Gupta had also announced staggered winter office timings for government and municipal offices, effective November 15, aiming to reduce peak-hour traffic during the capital’s most polluted months. Government offices will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., while municipal offices will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
However, these voluntary appeals fall short of the mandated Stage 3 restrictions, which include:
- A ban on private BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and surrounding NCR districts (Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar).
- A blanket curb on non-essential private construction and demolition (C&D) activities.
- Shifting schools up to Class 5 in Delhi and neighboring districts to hybrid lessons.
Local Emissions Blamed as Mitigation Falls Short
The decision support system (DSS) for the CAQM estimated that the contribution of farm fires in the upwind states of Punjab and Haryana was only 8.64%, suggesting the sharp plunge in air quality was predominantly driven by local emissions.
Experts expressed concern that the worsening conditions, despite meteorological factors remaining stable, indicate that current pollution mitigation measures are insufficient.
Mahesh Palawat, Vice President at Skymet, stated: “There has been no change in any meteorological conditions, so pollution levels shooting up might indicate more detailed pollution control measures are required.” He noted that wind speeds had remained consistent with previous days when the AQI was lower.
Delhi Pollution Control Committee chairman Sandeep Kumar, when asked about the possibility of implementing Stage 3, stated that any decision would be informed later. “Last year, GRAP 3 had been implemented on November 13. This time, with support from all departments and the residents of Delhi, we hope to prevent reaching that stage,” Kumar said, hours before the dramatic deterioration.
This marks the second time this month the AQI has crossed 350, with readings hitting 366 on November 2 before a temporary dip.
While holding off on stricter curbs, the CAQM did hold a meeting with officials from Punjab and Haryana, calling for urgent action from the Punjab government to curb stubble burning incidents.
The Air Quality Early Warning System projects that “very poor” air quality conditions will persist from Sunday through Tuesday, with the outlook for the subsequent six days also indicating persistently poor air quality.