A cold wind blew away the thick layer of haze that has covered the National Capital for over a week, and a bright sun shone through, on Wednesday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has also dropped to 303 in the NCR, placing it in the “very poor” category for the fourth consecutive day, while Dehi recorded its second-coldest night of the season.The minimum temperature dipped to 10.4 degrees Celsius, 0.1 notch above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has also forecast a further drop to nine degrees Celsius at night. The coldest night of the season so far was recorded on November 21, when the temperature settled at 10.2 degrees Celsius.
However, the overall AQI of Delhi improved compared to the previous 24-hour average of 396, data showed. Delhi’s Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS), however, has forecast the air quality to be ‘severe’ by Thursday due to a drop in wind speed and a western disturbance influencing the meteorological conditions of the region.
Two days after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued an order asking schools in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) to conduct classes in hybrid mode, schools in Gurgaon have been devising ways to ensure classes are not disrupted ahead of board exams.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) was 302 at 11 am.IQ Air real time data showed, PM2.5 concentration was stood currently 38.2 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value at the same time.
Mundka reported the highest AQI at 443, followed by Rohini and Vivek Vihar at 432 each. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 431, while Jahangirpuri stood at 422. Other severely affected areas included Sonia Vihar at 425, Shadipur at 423, and Punjabi Bagh at 413. Alipur (416), Narela (415), and Ashok Vihar (420) also saw AQI levels firmly in the ‘severe’ range, further highlighting the dire situation.The neighbouring NCR cities have experienced a slight dip, with Faridabad recording an AQI of 184, Gurugram at 160, and Noida at 257.
The AQI had peaked at 419 on November 20, with subsequent readings of 371 the following day, 393 on Friday, 412 on Saturday and 318 on Sunday. An AQI between 301 and 400 is classified as “very poor” while levels above 400 are considered “severe”. The primary pollutants remained PM2.5 and PM10, with PM2.5 levels at 122 µg/m³ on Wednesday, down from 143 µg/m³ the previous day, and PM10 levels at 219 µg/m³, also lower than the 325 µg/m³ recorded on Tuesday.
The Centre’s Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management estimated that vehicular emissions contributed 23. 436 per cent to Delhi’s pollution on Wednesday. Notably, there is a ban on entry of non essential trucks from other states to Delhi and around four lakh vehicles are off the road due to stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan imposed in the Delhi-NCR. The contribution of the residential sector to air pollution is estimated to be 6.043 percent, industries contributed 5.438 percent, construction 3. 492 percent, energy sector 2. 351 percent, waste burning 2. 276 percent, road dust 1.754 percent and others 1.624 percent. The DSS provides daily estimates for vehicular emissions, while the data on stubble burning is typically available the following day.
A group of students and their parents held a protest near Parliament, urging political leaders to address the problem of Delhi’s deteriorating air quality.The protesters gathered under a “Saanson Ke Liye Sansad Chalo” banner. “We are deeply worried about how we will provide clean air to our children and the next generation if the situation continues to worsen,” one of the parents at the protest said. Among the protesters was nine-year-old Meera Purnima Vutts.
She said, “My father and I cough constantly due to the pollution. Some of my other family members are also experiencing health issues because of it.” Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist present at the protest, stressed the severity of the issue. The protesters raised placards with messages of “Save Our Children’s Lungs”, “My Right to Breathe”, and “Act on Air Pollution Now” to emphasise the urgency of the situation.
Meanwhile, authorities intensified their action against violations of anti-pollution norms, a day after the Supreme Court slammed the Delhi government and police for a “serious lapse” in implementing the restrictions under the fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). A senior police officer said the number of teams deployed to ensure the implementation of the restrictions has been increased, particularly in the border areas.
The city police, in coordination with teams from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), transport department and civil defence volunteers, are conducting thorough vehicle checks at the border checkpoints. Another officer mentioned that the local police is working alongside the traffic police to enforce traffic regulations, with challans being issued to violators. Under the stage IV of the GRAP, the entry of trucks, except for those run on CNG, electric and BS-VI diesel, is banned in Delhi.
