New Delhi [India]: As the winter chill sets in, the air quality in Delhi continues to remain in the ‘poor’ category, with a thin layer of smog covering parts of the city and reducing visibility. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 231 as of 8:00 AM on Monday morning.
The air quality varies across different regions of Delhi:
- Alipur: 239
- Anandpur: 276
- Ashok Vihar: 254
- Bawana: 280
- Burari Crossing: 220
- CRRI Mathura Road: 152
- DTU: 196
- Dwarka Sector 8: 291
- ITO: 242
- Lodhi Road: 154
- Mundka: 315
- Narela: 249
- North Campus: 209
- Pusa: 170
- Vivek Vihar: 230
With the air quality worsening, homeless individuals and those struggling financially sought refuge in night shelters set up by the Delhi government. Shelters have been established in several locations across the city, including AIIMS, Lodhi Road, and Nizamuddin flyover.
At a shelter home located on Lodhi Road, Arpita, a guard, spoke to ANI and shared, “I am a guard here. This place can provide shelter to 16-17 people. Right now, there are 14-15 people. There are beds here. This shelter is only for women. We provide food two times a day. We have hot water, blankets, and other amenities.” She added, “A doctor visits the shelter home twice a week. If anyone is suffering from any issue, they prescribe medicines. For safety, there are guards and caretakers.”
Weather Updates and Cold Wave Forecast
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, warning of moderate to dense fog in the morning and shallow fog or smog during the evening and night hours. Parts of Delhi, including Kota House, Akbar Road, and Pandara Park, experienced light rains on Sunday evening.
The IMD also forecasted a cold wave in West Rajasthan from December 9 to December 14, with Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, and West Uttar Pradesh expected to experience similar conditions from December 11. In Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur recorded a minimum temperature of 8°C, with people gathering around fires to stay warm.
Meanwhile, Agra’s air quality was recorded in the ‘satisfactory’ category this morning, according to the CPCB.
Relaxation of GRAP Restrictions
Earlier, the Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to relax GRAP Stage IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR to Stage II due to improvements in the AQI. Following this, the CAQM revoked Stages IV and III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the region, though Stage II and Stage I restrictions will remain in force across Delhi-NCR.