Air Pollution

Delhi dystopia: AQI hits season's high of 461, air remains 'severe'

The national capital recorded the highest AQI of the season on Sunday -- up to 461 from 432 a day earlier -- as the air quality remained in the "severe" category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an Air Quality Index (AQI) between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor' and 401 and 500 'severe'. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Saturday invoked the strictest measures (Stage IV) under its air pollution control plan, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including a ban on all construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR after pollution levels rose sharply amid unfavourable meteorological conditions. The Sub-Committee on GRAP decided to invoke Stage III of the GRAP earlier on Saturday across the entire NCR with immediate effect as air quality continued to worsen. On the weather front, the minimum temperatu

CAQM orders suspension of outdoor sports in Delhi-NCR amid rising pollution

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed Delhi and NCR state governments to ensure the immediate suspension of all outdoor physical sports activities, warning that continued conduct of such events amid poor air quality poses a "serious health risk to children". In a letter to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, the Commission said it was concerned that "some schools and institutions in Delhi-NCR were still holding outdoor sports activities" despite earlier directions issued in line with a Supreme Court order dated November 19. The CAQM said continuation of outdoor physical activities during periods of adverse air quality is "contrary to the spirit and intent of the apex court's observations and the Commission's instructions". The Commission had in a letter dated November 19 called for the "postponement of physical sports competitions scheduled during November and December". It directed the NCR state governments and

Delhi govt orders hybrid classes up to Class 9, 11 as air pollution worsens

The Delhi Directorate of Education on Saturday directed all schools to conduct classes for students up to Class IX and XI in a hybrid mode in light of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital. This decision follows an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which invoked Stage-IV actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect to curb further worsening of air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. According to the circular dated December 13, government, government-aided, and unaided recognised private schools under the Directorate of Education, NDMC, MCD, and the Delhi Cantonment Board have been instructed to offer both physical and online classes wherever feasible until further orders. Saturday recorded the worst air quality of the year so far, surpassing the previous high of 428 recorded on November 11, official data showed. The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 431, according to the Central Pollution Control

Startup founders meet in Delhi to discuss solutions to air pollution

About 40 startup founders and business representatives met here on Saturday to discuss problem-focused solutions to tackle Delhi's air pollution, a statement said. The meeting, held at Central Park here, was attended by representatives from venture capital and private equity firms. Startups working in areas such as mobility, agriculture and air purification shared their approaches and discussed challenges in expanding these interventions, the statement added. Vishal Lavti, co-founder of carpooling and bike-pooling platform Quick Ride, said private vehicles contribute significantly to the city's pollution levels. "While long-term solutions like electric vehicles will help, there are simple actions that can be taken immediately. Carpooling is one of the easiest and most effective options as it requires no additional infrastructure, only awareness and participation," he said. Another entrepreneur, Roshan Shankar of Saroja Earth, said incomplete burning of crop residue remains a major

Delhi-NCR invokes Grap Stage-IV curbs amid sharp dip in air quality

The Commission for Air Quality Management on Saturday invoked stricter GRAP Stage-III restrictions, including shifting schools to hybrid mode up to Class 5 and restrictions on construction and demolition work, in Delhi-NCR after pollution levels rose sharply amid unfavourable meteorological conditions. The national capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 349 but jumped to 401 by 10 am on Saturday, "owing to slow wind speed, stable atmosphere, unfavourable weather parameters and meteorological conditions and lack of dispersal of pollutants", the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said in a statement. It said that due to the prevailing trend of air quality, and to further prevent deterioration in the region, the CAQM GRAP Sub-Committee on Saturday took the call to invoke all actions under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) 'Severe' Air Quality with immediate effect in the NCR. This is in addition to the actions under Stages I and II of GRA

Delhi covered in dense smog as multiple areas record 'severe' AQI

Persistent fog and low winds trap pollutants as winter sets in, reducing visibility and disrupting daily life across the capital

Rahul Gandhi flags issue of air pollution, seeks discussion in Lok Sabha

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday raised the issue of air pollution in major cities of the country and sought a discussion on it in the Lok Sabha. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Gandhi said the discussion on the issue can be framed in an interesting manner where the opposition and the government do not trade abuses at each other, but find a solution to the problem. "This is not an ideological issue. Everybody in this House would agree that air pollution, the damage it is doing to our people, is something that we would like to cooperate on," Gandhi said. The Congress leader said the prime minister can then put in place a plan to deal with the issue of air pollution. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government was ready for a discussion on the issue and the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha can allot time for the same. "Most of our major cities are living under a blanket of poisonous air. Millions of children are getting lung disease

Explained: How India handles pollution and what WHO air guidelines say

The government says India sets its own air quality standards and does not follow WHO guidelines; cities are ranked under NCAP, with top performers rewarded annually

Smog blankets Delhi as air quality worsens, 28 stations see 'very poor' AQI

Smog remained widespread across Delhi and NCR, with Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Rohini, and NSIT Dwarka among the worst-hit hotspots

As AQI levels hit sky-high levels, urban Indians gravitate to getaway homes

Affluent Indians are increasingly buying second homes not as weekend getaways but as critical health guards as cities turn into gas chambers, thanks to ever-increasing air pollution levels

Philips Air Purifier AC4221 review: Silent, effective, and intelligent

The Philips Air Purifier AC4221 builds on a familiar foundation while introducing meaningful improvements in capacity, noise management, and intelligence

Delhi air quality dips to 'very poor' again as cold wave tightens grip

After a brief respite, Delhi's air quality dipped again on Thursday, with at least 10 stations recording AQIs above 300. Rising pollution and falling temperatures are worsening citizens' discomfort

CAQM asks Supreme Court to review order shielding old vehicles in Delhi

Flagging vehicular pollution as one of the most significant contributing sectors to the generally poor air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to review its August 12 order that ordered no coercive steps be taken against the owners 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in the national capital. In an over 300-page affidavit filed in a plea seeking measures to curb air pollution, the CAQM said, "Vehicular pollution is one of the most significant contributing sectors to the generally poor air quality in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region). Abatement of vehicular pollution thus has been one of the main focus areas of the Commission in its deliberations with the NCR State Governments and GNCTD." Suggesting a way forward, the CAQM said, "For controlling vehicular emissions, BS-III and below standard vehicles are required to be kept out of purview of Order dated August 12, 2025 of the Supreme Court in ...

No conclusive data links deaths exclusively to air pollution: MoS Health

There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution, Minister of State for Health, Prataprao Jadhav, told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases, Jadhav said in a written reply. The health effects of air pollution are a synergistic manifestation of factors, which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity, heredity, etc., of the individuals. The government of India has taken several steps to address air pollution issues, he said. The National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) has been implemented with an objective to create awareness, capacity building, health sector preparedness and response and partnerships related activities on climate sensitive health issues since 2019, according to the reply. Under NPCCHH, the government of India has develope

Delhi air quality improves slightly, overall AQI in 'poor' category today

Seventeen of the city's 39 monitoring stations still recorded AQI levels above 300, but most showed signs of improvement compared with last week

Drop in AQI levels across India lead to rise in respiratory drugs sales

Winter triggered ailments no longer just a seasonal fluctuation but an escalating public health trigger due to air pollution, say experts

Delhi's AQI remains 'very poor'; CM criticises anti-pollution protests

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta criticised recent protests over air pollution, questioning why similar demonstrations were absent during previous administrations

Penalty imposed on construction sites flouting pollution norms: Sirsa

The Delhi government has imposed more than Rs 7 crore in penalties on construction sites violating pollution norms this year, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday. A total of 1,750 sites were inspected, 556 notices were issued and 48 units were ordered shut for violating pollution control norms, he said. In the last two days, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee officials carried out 230 road and garbage inspections, 110 by Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials, 36 by the Public Works Department, 32 by the Delhi Development Authority, 17 by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, and eight by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, resulting in a show-cause penalty of around Rs 1 crore, the minister said. He said the agencies issued 7.97 lakh Pollution Under Control challans this year, compared to 4.33 lakh challans in 2024. A total of 42,017 potholes were fixed this year, against 18,000 repaired a year ago. Sirsa said the number

'Pollution in Delhi nearly doubled in Nov, becoming 4th most polluted city'

Delhi's air pollution nearly doubled in November, pushing the national capital to the fourth spot among the most polluted cities in the country, according to a report. A report released by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on Saturday highlighted that while the impact of stubble burning on Delhi's air quality was significantly lower compared to last year, pollution levels in the city remained severe. Delhi ranked as the fourth most polluted city in the country in November, recording a monthly average PM2.5 level of 215 micrograms per cubic metre -- nearly double its October average of 107 micrograms per cubic metre. The national capital witnessed 23 'very poor' days, six 'severe' days and one 'poor' day during the month. Despite the deteriorating air quality, the contribution of stubble burning averaged only 7 per cent in November, compared to 20 per cent last year. Peak stubble-burning contribution touched 22 per cent, significantly lower than the 38 per cent

Delhi chokes as air quality stays in 'very poor' band, with AQI at 330

A thick blanket of pollution hung over the capital on Saturday as Delhi's air quality stayed locked in the 'very poor' category, with the 24-hour average AQI settling at 330. Among the 40 monitoring stations, 31 stations remained in the 'very poor' levels in the evening, with Nehru Nagar reporting the highest AQI at 369, according to CPCB's Sameer App. Earlier, Delhi woke to another choking morning with the AQI at 335 at 9 am. A total of 36 stations were in the 'very poor' category, with Mundka recording the worst levels at 387. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'. According to the Decision Support System for Delhi's air quality management, transport within the city remained the highest local contributor at 14.8 per cent, followed by industries in Delhi and surrounding areas at 7.3 per cent, residential sources at