Winter is coming: Delhi air quality woes triggered; close to 'very poor'

The real-time data available with the Centre's air quality early warning system showed that Delhi had the worst air quality in India, compared to other major metropolitan cities

With the onset of winter, the Delhi-NCR region woke up to a mild layer of fog shrouding the national capital, accompanied by an air quality index of 279, indicating poor air quality. 

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), backed by the Centre, explains that the air quality index has six main categories: a range of zero to 50 is considered ‘good’; 50-100 is considered ‘satisfactory’; 100-200 is a moderate air quality index range; 200-300 is considered a ‘poor’ air quality range; 300-400 falls in the ‘very poor’ category, and anything between 400-500 range is considered ‘severe’.

The day before, Delhi recorded a 24-hour average air quality index of 230, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The real-time data available with the Centre’s Air quality early warning system showed that Delhi had the worst air quality in India, compared to other major metropolitans. The air quality index in Pune was 60; in Mumbai-82, Kolkata-161; Bengaluru-38; Lucknow-89; Patna-214.

Firecrackers banned in Delhi for the remaining year

Usually, the days around the festival of Diwali and stubble burning in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, leave Delhi grappling with severe air quality issues in the following months. This year Diwali will be celebrated on November 1.

As a preventative measure, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has already implemented a complete ban on the manufacturing, storage, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital until January 1, 2025.

Supreme Court blasts Punjab, Haryana officials

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court criticised the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for failing to curb the pollution causing issues. Labelling the body as a “toothless tiger”, the top court slammed the body for failing to prosecute those found guilty of stubble burning and gave it two weeks to fix the issue.

The court has also asked CAQM to take penal action against Haryana and Punjab government officials responsible for the crisis. The court also directed the two states’ chief secretaries to appear before it on October 23 and submit an explanation.

Stubble burning is the practice of igniting the leftover straw and stubble after harvesting crops such as rice or wheat.