NEW DELHI: Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of toxic haze on Diwali morning, with the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 383, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category and close to the ‘severe’ threshold.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 24 of the city’s 54 monitoring stations recorded severe air quality, while the remaining stations were in the very poor category.
Jahangirpuri recorded the highest AQI at 450, followed by RK Puram at 448. Several other locations, including Punjabi Bagh, Bawana and IIT Delhi, also recorded readings above 400.
The AQI reading marks a deterioration from Saturday, when Delhi recorded 369, compared with 382 on Friday. Under CPCB classifications, an AQI between 301 and 400 falls in the very poor category, while readings between 401 and 500 are classified as severe.
The deterioration comes as the city celebrates Diwali, with firecracker emissions adding to the existing pollution load. Weather conditions have also been unfavourable for the dispersal of pollutants, with low ventilation and slow wind speeds expected to keep pollution levels elevated.
The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that Delhi’s air quality is likely to remain in the severe category on November 8 and 9. Pollution levels are expected to fluctuate between the very poor and severe categories over the following days.
Stage III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remain in force across Delhi-NCR. The measures include restrictions on non-essential construction and demolition activities and curbs on certain polluting vehicles.
Authorities have also advised residents to limit outdoor exposure and use public transport where possible as the city faces another spell of hazardous winter pollution.
The CPCB classifies AQI readings from zero to 50 as good, 51 to 100 as satisfactory, 101 to 200 as moderate, 201 to 300 as poor, 301 to 400 as very poor and 401 to 500 as severe.
With input from media reports.