Delhi AQI remains very poor as city braces for extreme cold, smoggy skies

Delhi's air quality remains very poor with most monitoring stations recording an air quality index (AQI) above 300

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Air quality in the national capital showed slight improvement on Thursday but remained in the ‘very poor’ category. Most areas were shrouded in smog, with the majority of monitoring stations recording an air quality index (AQI) above 300, raising health risks for residents.

 

Of Delhi’s 39 monitoring stations, 19 reported AQI in the very poor category, 14 in the poor range, and 2 in the moderate range. Anand Vihar recorded 316 AQI at 8 am, placing it in the very poor category. Other hotspots included:

 

• Ashok Vihar: 307
• Bawana: 343
• Chandni Chowk: 331
• RK Puram: 344
• Rohini: 343
• Vivek Vihar: 319

 

By 4 pm on Wednesday, Delhi’s average AQI was 342 (‘very poor’), slightly down from 372 on Tuesday. Nehru Nagar recorded the highest pollution level at 378 AQI.

 

What do CPCB’s AQI ranges mean for air quality levels? 

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) defines AQI ranges as follows:

 

0–50: Good

51–100: Satisfactory

101–200: Moderate

201–300: Poor

301–400: Very poor

401–500: Severe

 

What is the air quality outlook for Delhi over the next few days? 

The Air Quality Early Warning System predicts that Delhi will remain in the ‘very poor’ category for the next few days, with mist or haze expected during night hours. Meteorological conditions are likely to continue hindering pollutant dispersal. 

 

What is the government doing to curb pollution? 

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday directed all government agencies to work on a war footing to curb pollution and announced the formation of a committee with special powers to monitor and strengthen pollution-control efforts.

 

Chairing an inter-departmental meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, Gupta said pollution was being treated as an ‘emergency mission’ and warned of no tolerance for lapses by responsible agencies, reported PTI. The expert committee, comprising senior officials from key departments, IITs, and environmental scientists, will have special powers to monitor compliance and enforce corrective action.

 

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Delhi government has been instructed to draft a pollution-control plan for the coming year. He noted that potholes are a primary source of dust in the city. 

 

How severe will winter be in Delhi? 

Amid persistent air pollution, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for a cold wave in Delhi on Friday, with minimum temperatures expected to fall to 4-6 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperatures are likely to drop by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next two days.

 

The IMD forecast for Thursday predicts mainly clear skies with shallow fog in the morning. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 24 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will hover near 7 degrees Celsius.