Page 2 - Latest Updates on Delhi air quality

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

SC to hear plea on Delhi-NCR air pollution on Dec 3 amid health emergency

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear on December 3 a plea concerning the deteriorating air quality in the DelhiNational Capital Region, saying the issue needed to be monitored on a regular basis. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the submissions of senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the bench as an amicus curiae in the air pollution case, that there is an alarming situation in Delhi-NCR and it is a health emergency. What magic wand can a judicial forum exercise? I know this is hazardous for Delhi-NCR. We all know the problem. The issue is what is the solution. We need to identify reasons and the solutions can be given by the domain experts only. We hope and expect that long term solutions are found, the CJI said. Tell me what can we direct? We issue some directions and get to breathe clean air immediately ... .Then we have to see what the solutions can be in each region. Let us see what the government has ...

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

Datanomics: India's clean-air mission struggles amid global funding gaps

The broader global funding picture is bit more complex. India receives the highest total air-quality funding globally, yet very little of it is for channelling into programmes where reducing pollution

CAQM revokes GRAP III measures in Delhi-NCR as air quality improves

The pollution monitoring body said that measures under Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the revised GRAP, issued on November 21, will stay in force and be closely monitored to prevent any further worsening

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

Will Ethiopian volcanic ash further impact poor Delhi AQI? Expert explains

The ash cloud from Hayli Gubbi, a long-silent volcano that erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, entered India at around 10 pm on Monday

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

As toxic air chokes Delhi, govt orders offices to operate at 50% capacity

Delhi air pollution: Amid severe pollution, Delhi orders govt and private offices to operate at half strength, directing all other employees to work from home

Stubble burning incidents decline in Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana: Agri secy

Stubble burning incidents in Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Haryana have reduced this year due to government support for farm machinery and other measures, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said on Monday. The government has provided farmers with relevant equipment and necessary interventions to tackle the problem, Chaturvedi told reporters on the sidelines of an event. "Certainly...because of the policy of providing machineries and in-situ and ex-situ measures, the incidents of stubble burning in Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Haryana have reduced," he said. There have hardly been incidents of stubble burning in the last ten days, he said. Stubble burning by farmers in northern India after harvesting has been a major contributor to severe air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas during winter months. When asked about other pollution sources, Chaturvedi said other ministries were better placed to comment. "If there are other reasons (for pollution), other ministries are best to say," he

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

Delhi breathes toxic air, AQI likely to remain 'very poor' till Wednesday

The air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category on Sunday with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 391, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. According to the CPCB's Sameer app, 19 monitoring stations in Delhi reported 'severe' air quality and the remaining 19 stations recorded 'very poor' air quality with readings above 300. Delhi's air quality is likely to be in the 'very poor' category from Monday to Wednesday, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered '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 CPCB. Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 26.7 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10.4 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The humidity level was recorded at 68 per cent at 5.30 pm. The weather department has foreca

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

Delhi govt advises private offices to allow 50% employees to work from home

The Delhi government on Saturday directed private offices to operate with 50 per cent on-site staff and to allow the remaining employees to work from home as a precautionary measure under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III. The advisory follows directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), officials said. Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the ninth consecutive day on Saturday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 370, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. A total of 11 monitoring stations in Delhi logged readings in the 'severe' category. The government has asked private offices to operate with 50 per cent strength on site and to allow the remaining employees to work from home as a precautionary measure under the GRAP Stage III, an official statement said. They have also been asked to widely disseminate the advisory and ensure effective implementation across all branches. GRAP is a framework designed to tack

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

AAP slams BJP over AQI monitoring, says Grap measures not being implemented

Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the plans laid out under the Grap are not being properly implemented, with pollution allowed to run rampant through private construction

Delhi traffic police get ₹84 cr in fines during GRAP checks from Oct 14

The Delhi Traffic Police has imposed fines of over Rs 84.98 crore for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate violations during GRAP stages one and two from October 14 to November 18, officials said. The amount corresponds to 84,981 challans according to official data accessed by PTI, each carrying a penalty of Rs 10,000. The Western Range issued the highest with 22,867 PUC challans, followed by 20,554 in the Southern Range and 13,423 in the New Delhi Range. The Eastern Range issued 12,441 challans, the Northern Range recorded 10,211, and the Central Range issued 5,485, the records showed. The Eastern Range covers East Delhi, North East Delhi and Shahdara. The New Delhi Range covers New Delhi and parts of South West Delhi, according to official numbers. North Delhi and Central Delhi came under the Central Range. The Northern Range includes Rohini, Outer North and North West Delhi. The Western Range covers West Delhi, Dwarka and Outer Delhi. The Southern Range includes South Delhi