Delhi air quality remains ‘very poor’ as city records season’s lowest temperature

Delhi on Monday recorded ‘very poor’ air quality with an overall AQI of 356, even as the city logged its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 8.7°C, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the IMD said.

Data from the CPCB’s Sameer app showed that five monitoring stations reported air quality in the ‘severe’ category, while 29 stations recorded ‘very poor’ levels with readings between 300 and 400. Four stations fell in the ‘poor’ category.

Among the 38 AQI monitoring stations in the capital, Bawana reported the highest pollution level with an AQI of 419. Other areas in the ‘severe’ category included Narela (405), Jahangirpuri (404), Wazirpur (402) and Rohini (401).

According to CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’ and 401-500 ‘severe’.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the minimum temperature of 8.7°C was 3.6 notches below normal, with humidity at 92 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 26 degrees Celsius under mostly clear skies.

The previous lowest in recent years was 7.3° on November 29, 2022. In 2023, the lowest minimum in November was 9.2°, and in 2024, 9.5°.