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Delhi’s air quality has deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category for the first time this season, with pollution levels rising above 300 after brief relief from rainfall.
Mariyam Adheela
Health advisories warn that prolonged exposure to very poor air quality can cause respiratory illness.
NEW DELHI, India: Air quality in India’s capital, New Delhi, deteriorated sharply on Monday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 300 and entering the ‘very poor’ category for the first time this season.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an AQI of 312 at 9:00 a.m. on November 2. Other reports placed the reading between 310 and 314 during the morning, reflecting measurements taken at different times.
The latest reading marks a deterioration from Sunday’s AQI of 277, which was classified as ‘poor’. The increase followed a brief improvement in air quality after rainfall last week.
Several monitoring stations across Delhi recorded high pollution levels on Monday. The CPCB reported readings of 370 in R.K. Puram, 349 near Akshardham and 335 around India Gate and Janpath.
Jahangirpuri recorded an AQI above 400, placing it in the ‘severe’ category, while several other areas remained in the ‘very poor’ range.
Under India’s air quality classification, an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered ‘very poor’, while readings above 400 fall into the ‘severe’ category.
The deterioration has brought attention to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which provides additional pollution-control measures when air quality reaches the ‘very poor’ category.
Stage II measures are applicable at this level, with the Commission for Air Quality Management responsible for deciding on their implementation based on pollution levels and weather forecasts.
Health advisories warn that prolonged exposure to very poor air quality can cause respiratory illness. Residents, particularly those with existing respiratory conditions, are advised to limit prolonged exposure to polluted air.
