Delhi's air quality turns 'severe' as smog blanket shows no sign of lift

Residents report health discomfort as pollution levels show no signs of easing, with AQI readings above 400 at multiple stations; GRAP Stage-II measures continue across Delhi-NCR

Delhi’s smog refuses to clear as air quality worsens

 

Delhi woke up to yet another day blanketed in toxic smog on Sunday, as air pollution levels remained alarmingly high across the city. At 8 am, the Anand Vihar monitoring station recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 412, placing it in the ‘severe’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

On Saturday at 4 pm, the city’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 361, falling in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range. Several neighbourhoods across the Capital hovered close to the 400 mark, signalling hazardous conditions for residents. 

 

 

The CPCB classifies AQI values between 0 and 50 as ‘good’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’, 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 as ‘severe’.

 

Amid this prolonged phase of deteriorating air quality, residents reported burning eyes, sore throats, headaches, and breathing discomfort as a thick layer of smog continued to settle over the city. While Stage-II measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) remain in force, authorities have not yet moved to the stricter Stage-III restrictions.

What measures are in place to curb Delhi’s pollution?

Pollution levels across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have largely stayed in the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ zones since Diwali. Under GRAP Stage II, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already doubled parking fees in an attempt to discourage the use of private vehicles.

 

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has completed two rounds of cloud seeding as part of wider efforts to artificially induce rainfall and reduce particulate matter in the air. A planned third seeding effort was postponed due to insufficient moisture in the cloud cover required for the process to be effective.

Will Delhi’s weather bring any relief from pollution?

Weather conditions are expected to offer no immediate relief, with a clear sky and shallow morning fog forecast for the region. Daytime temperatures are likely to hover between 26 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius, while nights may see the mercury fall to around 10 degrees Celsius to 12 degrees Celsius.

 

As winter settles in, meteorologists suggest that the prevailing weather pattern will likely continue, reducing the possibility of any significant improvement in air quality in the coming days.