No 'good' air days for Delhi this year. When will the capital breathe easy?

No 'good' air days for Delhi in 2024, with AQI hovering between 'poor' and 'severe'. As November pollution spikes, the capital continues to gasp for clean air

Delhi recorded its cleanest air of the year in August, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 52. However, it narrowly missed qualifying for a ‘good’ air day, which requires an AQI below 50, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards, reported The Indian Express.

 

This marks another year without a single ‘good’ air day for the capital, with pollution levels ranging from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’ for most of the year. As November’s AQI spirals into unhealthy ranges, hopes for a ‘good’ air day in 2024 appear dim.

 

On Monday, the city’s AQI worsened from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ by noon, reaching 349. This placed Delhi as the second-most polluted city in India, following Durgapur in West Bengal, which recorded an AQI of 360.

 

No ‘good’ air days since 2018

 

This year marks the first since 2018 that Delhi has failed to record a single ‘good’ air day. A similar scenario unfolded in 2016, while the nationwide lockdown in 2020 offered a rare reprieve, with five ‘good’ air days recorded that year.

 

In subsequent years, these clean-air days have dwindled: 2021 saw just one in October, while 2022 recorded three such days between September and October. For 2023, only one ‘good’ air day was recorded, in September.

 

Delhi typically experiences its cleanest air during the monsoon months of August through October, when meteorological factors help disperse pollutants. However, these gains are often reversed as winter approaches, bringing stagnant air and rising pollution levels.

 

November’s grim outlook

 

November has consistently been a challenging month for Delhi’s air quality. According to CPCB data, the AQI for this month has rarely fallen below 130 in the past decade, keeping the city in ‘moderate’ to ‘severe plus’ ranges.

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported no rainfall in Delhi this November, unlike 2023, when the city recorded four rainy days. In years like 2018, 2019, and 2020, November rain marginally improved air quality, but such relief has been absent this year.

 

Impact of Delhi’s toxic air

 

While a ‘good’ AQI poses minimal health risks, even a ‘satisfactory’ range can cause minor breathing discomfort. For vulnerable groups, a ‘moderate’ AQI may exacerbate existing heart or lung conditions.

 

At ‘poor’ levels, prolonged exposure can trigger symptoms across broader populations. When pollution rises to ‘severe’ or ‘severe plus’ levels, it affects everyone, including healthy individuals.