Chandigarh's air quality 'moderate'; Delhi, Haryana and Punjab face 'very poor' AQI

Chandigarh--the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana--recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 169 at 9 am on Wednesday, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.

However, by late afternoon, the city beautiful recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) of 206.

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered moderate, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Meanwhile, air quality across several parts of Haryana continued to deteriorate, with multiple locations recording AQI levels in the ‘very poor’ category.

Dharuhera in Rewari district reported the highest AQI in the region at 382, followed closely by Narnaul (367), Jind (367), Charkhi Dadri (362), Rohtak (358), Yamunanagar (347), Fatehabad (320), and Ballabhgarh (318).

Other cities in Haryana reported ‘poor’ air quality, including Gurugram (290), Bahadurgarh (272), Bhiwani (298), Karnal (243), Kaithal (237), Kurukshetra (226), Sonipat (285), and Faridabad (218).

In neighbouring Punjab, AQI levels remained in the ‘poor’ category. Amritsar recorded an AQI of 253, Jalandhar 261, Ludhiana 234, and Patiala 207.

Delhi also continued to experience poor air conditions.

The capital’s AQI stood at 335 at 9 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a minimum temperature of 21.8°C — 3.4°C above normal — with 91 per cent  relative humidity recorded at 8:30 am. The forecast predicted morning mist and haze, followed by mostly clear skies and a maximum temperature of around 33°C.