Delhi chokes, becomes India’s second-most polluted city

Delhi’s air quality worsened dramatically on Saturday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 361 by 4 pm, placing it in the ‘red zone’ and making it the second-most polluted city in India, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Among 38 monitoring stations in the city, pollution levels were particularly high in several areas. The AQI touched 404 at Alipur, 402 at ITO, 406 at Nehru Nagar, 411 at Vivek Vihar, 420 at Wazirpur, and 418 at Burari, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app.

A thick layer of smog cloaked NH-24 near Akshardham Temple, while PM2.5 and PM10 dominated as key pollutants.

On Friday, Delhi led the national list with an AQI of 322. Nearby NCR areas logged very poor air. The AQI touched 354 at Noida, 336 at Greater Noida and 339 at Ghaziabad.

The decision support system estimates that stubble burning will contribute 30 per cent to Sunday’s pollution, with transport adding 15.2 per cent. Satellite data revealed 100 farm fires in Punjab, 18 in Haryana, and 164 in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.

The air quality early warning system forecasts very poor conditions ahead. Since Diwali, Delhi’s air has stayed poor to very poor, often slipping into severe.

Meanwhile, Delhi woke up to a sharp winter chill on Saturday as the mercury dipped to 11 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest night of the season so far, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature was 3.3 degrees below normal for this time of the year, signalling the onset of winter in the national capital.

The maximum temperature settled at 27.2 degrees Celsius, about 2.3 degrees below normal, while the chill was most noticeable during the early morning hours.