Delhi continues to breathe 'severe' air; weekend rain likely to improve AQI

The air quality in New Delhi continued to be in the ‘severe’ category as the AQI (air quality index) was recorded above the 400 mark on Saturday (January 11). In fact, several areas of Delhi including Alipur, Bawana, Ashok Vihar, ITO, Jahangirpuri, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Patparganj, Mundka, Nehru Nagar, Pusa, RK Puram, Wazipur and Vivek Vihar recorded AQI above 450 mark.

 

The AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor, 401 to 500 as severe and above 500 as hazardous.  However, the IMD has predicted rainfall in Delhi-NCR over the weekend (January 11 and 12), which is expected to bring down the air pollution and improve the AQI. Meanwhile, poor air quality, along with dense fog, brought visibiity to near-zero in several areas on Saturday morning.

 

  Earlier, Delhi’s air quality took a turn for the worse, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising from 373 on Thursday evening to a hazardous 410 by Friday morning, classified as "severe" by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).   

#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero as a blanket of dense fog witnessed in parts of Delhi-NCR  (Visuals from Subroto Park) pic.twitter.com/D2oxrkvaSZ

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

 

Interestingly, Los Angeles County in the United States, currently battling devastating wildfires that have ravaged parts of the region, has significantly cleaner air compared to Delhi.  

 

GRAP Stage 3 curbs reinstated 

 

Amid the sharp deterioration in air quality due to unfavourable weather conditions, the Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR air quality reinstated Stage 3 anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).  

 

The air quality in Delhi showed a worrying upward trend, with the 24-hour average AQI climbing to 357 by 4 pm on Thursday, up from 297 on Wednesday. This rise was attributed to "calm winds and foggy conditions."  

 

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), tasked with devising strategies to combat pollution in Delhi-NCR, instructed authorities to promptly enforce Stage 3 restrictions to prevent further degradation. The CAQM’s AQI categories range from ‘good’ (0-50) to ‘severe’ (401-500).  

 

Stage 3 of GRAP, which was lifted on Sunday, includes a ban on non-essential construction activities.  

 

Notably, an annual report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed that Delhi recorded a 12 per cent reduction in PM10 levels compared to its 2017 baseline. While PM10 concentrations dropped from 241 to 211 µg/m³, the city still fell short of meeting its initial target.  

 

The report also noted that out of 131 cities identified under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019, only 41 (31 per cent) managed to achieve their target of a 20-30 per cent reduction in PM10 levels by 2024.