Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated significantly, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 331 on Tuesday morning, classifying it as ‘very poor’. This comes as the city grapples with a thick haze of pollution just ahead of the Diwali celebrations. The AQI had already peaked at 324 on Monday, marking the city’s worst air quality in 271 days, escalating from a reading of 261 on Sunday and a relatively moderate 60 on Friday.
Several areas within Delhi are experiencing even more severe conditions. Eight out of the city’s 58 air quality monitoring stations reported ‘severe’ pollution levels. Notably affected areas include Bawana, Narela, and Punjabi Bagh, while the station at IGNOU in Maidangarhi was the only one to record moderate air quality.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the primary pollutant in 53 monitoring stations was PM2.5, while PM10 dominated the remaining five. The rising pollution levels are partially attributed to agricultural practices in neighboring states. Satellite data recorded 1,561 farm fires in Punjab and Haryana between October 1 and November 2, with Punjab accounting for the majority of the incidents.
In response to the worsening conditions, authorities have implemented Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR. Measures include staggering office hours for government and municipal employees in areas such as Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Additionally, parking fees have been increased to discourage the use of private vehicles. Resident welfare associations have been urged to provide electric heaters for security personnel to avoid open burning during colder hours.