Delhi’s air quality plummets to ‘very poor’ category

The air quality in Delhi has significantly deteriorated, as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) surged to 341 on Sunday at 6 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), falling into the ‘very poor' category.

Air quality across Delhi was of concern as several areas reported high AQI levels with Anand Vihar reaching an alarming 418, Vivek Vihar at 407, and Wazirpur at 401, Ashok Vihar stands at 384, Jahangirpuri at 372, and Punjabi Bagh at 375, all in the ‘very poor' category. Patparganj records 367, while Bawana and Rohini are at 338 and 367, respectively. RK Puram has an AQI of 358, and Najafgarh, though lower, still has a ‘poor' AQI of 282.

The increase in AQI levels has been attributed to a combination of unfavourable meteorological conditions. The calm winds, low ventilation coefficients, and smoggy conditions are contributing to the slow dispersion of pollutants, trapping them over the city.

Meanwhile, the weather in Delhi has been undergoing a shift, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for moderate to dense fog on Sunday. Despite the fog, temperatures are expected to remain relatively mild, with a maximum of 24 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 9 degrees Celsius.