Air Quality

Delhi's AQI improves to 349; govt announces fresh measures for pollution

Thick smog continues to engulf Delhi and adjoining regions. Govt unveils pollution control measures, including water body revival and DTC reforms

Delhi battles cold wave, dense fog as air quality remains 'very poor'

Delhi faces extreme air pollution as dense fog and a cold wave persist; AQI hits hazardous levels, with vehicular emissions and industry driving hazardous conditions

Clean air draws tourists to Himachal hills as AQI worsens in Delhi-NCR

Experts from the Himachal Pradesh Environment Science and Climate Change Centre have also highlighted the stark contrast in air quality between the plains and the hill state

Hazardous air grips Delhi, several areas slip into severe AQI levels

Delhi's air quality remained hazardous with the AQI in the very poor category. Several locations slipped into severe levels as Grap Stage IV curbs took effect amid dense fog and cold wave conditions

Rare smog surge hits Beijing after years of costly pollution clean-up

Beijing was shrouded in heavy smog on Thursday with AQI climbing to very unhealthy levels of 215, a rare spike in pollution in the Chinese capital after years of expensive cleaning up. China's national observatory on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for heavy fog in some parts of the country, saying that thick fog is expected to shroud parts of Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, the Sichuan Basin and Chongqing on Thursday. The smog with polluted air quality is rare these days in Beijing, which used to witness very heavy pollution before the government initiated a series of steps, including closure and relocation of heavy polluting industries in 2016, spending billions of dollars. Officials say the city's switch to natural gas or electric public heating in winters from the coal-fired ones, spending over USD 1 billion, has helped reduce pollution levels. Beijing's efforts to tackle heavy pollution were in the news in recent days in the backdrop of New Delhi witness

'No PUC, No Fuel' rule may cause inconvenience, but necessary: Delhi CM

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday said while the No PUC, No Fuel' rule may cause inconvenience to people, it is a collective moral responsibility to ensure that all vehicles are tested and certified for pollution. Speaking at a public event here, Gupta said no vehicle would be allowed to refuel in the city without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, stressing that strict enforcement is necessary to curb worsening air quality. "People are facing inconvenience, but every vehicle running in Delhi must operate without causing pollution. It is our collective moral responsibility to ensure our vehicles are PUC-certified," she said. She added that strengthening the public transport system is the most effective solution to tackle pollution, and appealed to people to avoid using private vehicles for solo travel. "Carpooling and public transport should be preferred. Improving the transport system is the key to improving air quality," she said. Gupta said the governm

Delhi AQI remains 'very poor'; govt announces BS-VI vehicle rules

Delhi's air stays 'very poor' with AQI above 300 in several areas; govt enforces BS-VI vehicle rules, checks, and bans on construction vehicles to curb pollution

Delhi wakes up to dense fog as AQI stays 'severe', flights disrupted

Visibility dropped sharply as dense fog and toxic air gripped Delhi, with AQI nearing 500. GRAP-IV curbs were enforced as flights, traffic and court hearings were affected

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

Mumbai's Bandra covered in haze as AQI hits 'moderate' level of 154

In other parts of Mumbai, AQI was recorded at Chembur (182), Kurla (126), Chakala-Andheri East-IITM (114), Mazgaon (91), Malad West (51), Ghatkopar (161) and Worli (106)

Delhi wakes up to severe smog as AQI nears 500; Grap-IV curbs enforced

Delhi wakes to severe smog with AQI near 500, prompting Stage-IV Grap curbs. Transport, industrial emissions worsen pollution, schools switch to hybrid mode, and strict vehicle restrictions applied

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

We set own air standards; global rankings not official, says govt

Government tells Parliament that India relies on its own air-quality standards and city-level assessments

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

World Bank approves funds to help UP, Haryana improve air quality

The programmes are aimed at reducing air pollution through airshed-based planning, clean mobility, improved cooking access and multisector green transitions

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

Delhi air remains toxic as AQI stays poor; winter cold worsens smog

NSIT, Dwarka, and Bawana recorded the worst air quality on Wednesday, though Aya Nagar, IGI Airport T3, and Mandir Marg recorded AQI in the 'moderate' category

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

Delhi's air stays 'very poor' as smog deepens, cold wave grips North India

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category as dense smog blanketed the city, while a cold wave swept through north India. Pollution levels surged, with several hotspots crossing the 300

Delhi AQI remains very poor as city braces for extreme cold, smoggy skies

Delhi's air quality remains very poor with most monitoring stations recording an air quality index (AQI) above 300