Toxic smog chokes Delhi: Air quality turns severe as AQI reading soars to 435

NEW DELHI: Delhi woke up to dense smog on Sunday morning, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 381 at 7 am, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. This comes despite the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV being in effect across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

A thick layer of smog covered several parts of the city, showing little improvement from Saturday morning, when the AQI had stood at 359.

Bawana recorded the highest pollution level at 435, falling under the ‘severe’ category, while NSIT Dwarka recorded the lowest at 313, as per CPCB data.

A layer of toxic smog lingers in the air of Anand Vihar, as the Central Pollution Control Board reported that the Air Quality Index in the area is 429, categorised as very poor.

Chandani Chowk recorded an AQI of 390, RK Puram 397, ITO 384, Punjabi Bagh 411, Patparganj 401, Pusa 360, and Dwaraka Sector-8 386.

Visuals from India Gate and Kartavya Path are blanketed in a layer of toxic smog, with the AQI in the area at 388 in the very poor category, according to the CPCB.

According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe.

On Saturday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for NCR and Adjoining Areas revised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for the entire NCR. The commission directed that measures for the Severe AQI category under GRAP Stage IV would now be implemented under GRAP Stage III, according to a press release.

Under the revised plan, the NCR State Governments and the GNCTD will decide whether public, municipal, and private offices can operate at 50% capacity, with the remaining staff working from home. The Central Government may also decide on permitting work-from-home arrangements for employees in central government offices.

Earlier, on Friday, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that Delhi’s pollution crisis has escalated into a public health emergency due to manipulation of air quality data and lax enforcement of restrictions intended to curb toxic air.

Bharadwaj accused the BJP-run Delhi government of fabricating AQI readings and allowing government and private construction to continue despite GRAP-III bans. He claimed that pollution levels of 500-700 were being reported as 300-400 to avoid triggering mandatory restrictions.

Readers Comments