Delhi air pollution: The Air Quality Index (AQI) in parts of the national capital continued in the 'Severe' category today (November 15) morning as the city woke up once again to smog that limited visibility. According to the data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) continued to be in the 'Severe' category on Wednesday.
Air pollution levels hit the severe category (AQI above 400) at many places within the city, including RK Puram (417), Punjabi Bagh (423), Jahangirpuri (428) and Anand Vihar (430).
Delhi recorded its best air quality on Diwali day in eight years on Sunday (November 12), with its 24-hour average AQI settling at 218 at around 4:00 pm.
Bursting crackers:
However, the bursting of firecrackers till late Sunday night led to a spike in pollution levels amid low temperatures. Despite the Supreme Court's (SC) ban on firecrackers to mitigate pollution, people in several parts of the national capital flouted the ban by bursting fireworks.
Know more about AQI levels:
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, 401 and 450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe plus’.
Previous records of air quality during Diwali festival:
Delhi recorded an AQI of 312 on Diwali last year (2022), 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016, according to CPCB data. The city's AQI a day after Diwali stood at 360 in 2015, 445 in 2016, 403 in 2017, 390 in 2018, 368 in 2019, 435 in 2020, 462 in 2021 and 303 in 2022.
The CAQM official said that stringent measures, including a ban on construction work and the entry of polluting trucks in the national capital, under the final stage of the central government's air pollution control plan called the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will continue until further orders.
"Stubble burning incidents are rising again and the meteorological conditions are not favourable (for dispersion of pollutants). We will review the situation and act accordingly," the official added.
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