Page 8 - Air Quality Index

Delhi's Jan-Nov average AQI lowest since 2018, barring lockdown year: CAQM

Delhi recorded its lowest January-November average air quality index (AQI) since 2018, barring the Covid lockdown year of 2020, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Sunday. The average AQI for the period this year was 187, compared to 201 in 2024, 190 in 2023, 199 in 2022, 197 in 2021, 172 in 2020, 203 in 2019 and 213 in 2018, the CAQM said in a statement. Only three days saw the daily average AQI exceed 400 (severe category) between January and November this year. There were 11 such days in 2024, 12 in 2023, four in 2022, 17 in 2021, 11 in 2020, 16 in 2019 and 12 in 2018. Not a single day has crossed the 450 mark so far this year, the statement said. PM2.5 concentration for the period up to November 27 was the lowest since 2018 and at par with 2020. The average stood at 85 micrograms per cubic metre this year, against 98 in 2024, 90 in 2023 and 2022, 95 in 2021, 85 in 2020, 99 in 2019 and 103 in 2018. PM10 levels were also the lowest for the corresponding peri

Road dust emerges as major pollutant in Delhi; 35 high-dust spots located

Road dust remains a major driver of particulate pollution in the capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Sunday after its flying squads inspected 321 road stretches across Delhi under Operation Clean Air. The inspections, carried out on Saturday, were meant to check how much dust had settled on the roads and whether cleaning, sweeping and dust-suppression measures by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) were working on the ground. Out of the 321 stretches checked, 35 showed high levels of visible dust, 61 had moderate dust, 94 recorded low dust and 131 had no visible dust. CAQM in a statement said the results highlight once again that road dust remains a major contributor to Delhi's particulate matter, especially in winter, and that regular mechanical sweeping, timely removal of collected dust, pavement upkeep, and water-sprinkling are essential. MCD had the largest number

Congress unveils 10-point action plan to tackle Mumbai's air quality crisis

The Mumbai Congress on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive action plan outlining emergency, medium-term and long-term measures to tackle the city's deteriorating air quality and growing environmental stress. The 10-point plan titled "Mumbai Congress Mission Wipe Out Pollution" focuses on emergency response during severe AQI levels, strengthening citizen health protections, large-scale afforestation, and enhancing accountability in pollution management. Former Maharashtra minister and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad unveiled the document at Marine Drive along with other party leaders. Gaikwad, in a post on X, said that the rising pollution in Mumbai is a result of a contractor and builder-friendly, apathetic government's inaction. She accused the Mahayuti government of poisoning Mumbai's air, and alleged that its greed is threatening people's lives and the city's future. "The Mumbai Congress will fight for your fundamental right to clean air. Today, we launched our Clean Air Acti

After severe smog, Delhi's AQI slips to 'poor' but hotspots remain high

Shadipur recorded the highest pollution levels this morning at 336, followed by RK Puram at 308, both falling in the 'very poor' category

Delhi's AQI sees minor relief as winds improve, air remains 'very poor'

Even though Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' range on Saturday, pollution levels dipped marginally with the average AQI settling at 305 -- a slight improvement driven by favourable wind direction and speed, and the winding down of stubble burning in neighbouring regions. The air quality is expected to remain in the 'very poor' zone for the next few days. With wind speeds likely to remain on the higher side, the Air Quality Index (AQI) may not slip into the 'severe' category for at least the next two days, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change) at Skymet Weather, said. Meanwhile, Delhi continued to inhale 'unfit' air, with the average AQI recorded in the 'very poor' category for the 16th consecutive day. The capital's overall AQI settled at 305 on Saturday after logging 369 on Friday, 377 on Thursday, 327 on Wednesday, 352 on Tuesday, and 382 on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the CPCB, an AQI bet

Delhi's air remains 'very poor' for 15th day despite slight improvement

City records average AQI of 338; more foggy, stagnant conditions expected to hinder pollution dispersion

Delhi AQI remains 'very poor' for half of Nov; no relief expected next week

The national capital recorded an AQI of 369 on Friday, extending its streak of 'very poor' air quality to half the month of November, and forecasts show no respite in the next week. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 369 on Friday, compared to 377 on Thursday, 327 on Wednesday, 352 on Tuesday and 382 on Monday, remaining in the 'very poor' category for the 14th consecutive day. The highest AQI in the city, at 414, was recorded in Dwarka Sector 8, the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app showed. The air quality is likely to remain 'very poor' over the coming week, according to the forecast by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. Meanwhile, the Sameer app, which displays real-time pollution readings from monitoring stations across Delhi, showed that several stations -- including RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Nehru Nagar, Dwarka, Rohini, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka -- recorded AQI levels above the 400 mark. Out of 39 monitoring stations, a total o

Mumbai civic body issues stop-work order to construction sites as AQI dips

Amid worsening AQI, the civic body has halted work at 53 construction sites and rolled out hundreds of AQI monitoring sensors across the city

Delhi's air quality turns 'severe' as 19 stations record AQI above 400

Pollution spikes across Delhi-NCR as residents struggle with toxic air; offline classes resume even as AQI crosses 400 at several stations

Delhi chokes on dense smog as AQI nears 400; GRAP III curbs revoked

Air quality slipped back to the 'very poor' range today with AQI readings close to 400, even as CAQM withdrew GRAP Stage 3 measures

Delhi's air stays toxic as 34 monitoring stations record 'very poor' AQI

Rohini, Anand Vihar and Bawana among worst-hit areas in the national capital as 34 out of 39 monitoring stations record 'very poor' air quality

Delhi tops PM2.5 pollution list; 447 districts breach national norm: Report

Delhi ranked as the most polluted among 33 states and Union territories with an annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 101 micrograms per cubic metre, 2.5 times the Indian standard and 20 times the WHO guideline, according to a new satellite-based analysis. The report by the independent research organisation Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said Chandigarh recorded the second-highest annual average PM2.5 level at 70 micrograms per cubic metre during the study period from March 2024 to February 2025, followed by Haryana at 63 and Tripura at 62. Assam (60), Bihar (59), West Bengal (57), Punjab (56), Meghalaya (53) and Nagaland (52) also exceeded the national standard. Overall, 447 of the 749 districts (60 per cent) analysed breached the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for annual PM2.5 of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. The most polluted districts are heavily concentrated in a few states, the analysis showed. Delhi (11 districts) and Assam (11 districts) together

Delhi's air stays toxic; state govt orders offices to work at 50% capacity

Delhi tightens curbs amid 'severe' to 'very poor' air quality, ordering 50 per cent office attendance as the city tracks an Ethiopian volcanic ash cloud and its impact on AQI

India Gate air protest turns chaotic as Delhi Police hit with pepper spray

A protest over Delhi's toxic air spiralled into chaos at India Gate as police alleged demonstrators used pepper spray and blocked traffic, leaving several personnel injured

Delhi chokes as AQI hits severe levels, fog worsens pollution across region

Delhi-NCR's air quality plunged into the severe zone on Monday, with fog trapping pollutants, 20 stations crossing 400, and authorities invoking Grap

Air pollution: Delhi goes for a soft battle against a tough enemy

Pollution grows unabated amid faulty policies and delays: Experts

Air quality in Delhi remains 'severe' with AQI over 400 at multiple sites

Air quality plunged across Delhi-NCR, with several zones breaching the 400 AQI threshold as foggy conditions and dipping temperatures intensified pollution on Sunday

CAQM flags 29 pollution norm violations in enforcement drive in Sonipat

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) detected 29 violations of pollution-control norms, including five at construction and demolition (C&D) sites, during a large-scale enforcement drive in Haryana's Sonipat on Friday, according to a statement. Twenty flying squad teams were deployed across conforming and non-conforming industrial clusters as well as C&D sites in the district on November 21 as part of the CAQM's intensified on-ground monitoring during winter months, according to the official statement issued by the Union environment ministry. The drive was carried out with the support of the district administration, including deputy commissioners, duty magistrates and police personnel, to ensure "smooth operations", the ministry said. Of the 101 sites inspected, 55 were in non-conforming areas where 21 violations were flagged, including two at C&D sites. In conforming industrial zones, officials checked 46 units and found eight violations, including three ...

Air quality 'very poor' for 9th consecutive day; 11 stations log severe AQI

There was little respite from toxic air for Delhi on Saturday as it continued to endure 'very poor' air quality, with the overall AQI settling at 370, while 11 monitoring stations logged readings in the 'severe' range. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 370, in the very poor category for the ninth consecutive day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The average AQI stood at 374 on Friday, 391 on Thursday, 392 on Wednesday, 374 on Tuesday, and 351 on Monday, data says. The CPCB's Sameer app, which displays AQI readings from all monitoring stations across Delhi, showed that out of 38 operational stations, 11 recorded air quality in the severe category on Saturday. These include stations at DTU, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Mundka, Narela, Rohini, Vivek Vihar, and others, where AQI levels crossed the 400 mark. As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-50

Grap IV measures now under Grap III as Delhi air quality stays 'severe'

With AQI levels soaring across the capital and NCR, residents faced another day of toxic smog amid ongoing Grap-III actions and weather-related stagnation