Delhi is currently experiencing a concerning stretch of poor air quality, marking the fifth consecutive day with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling into the ‘poor’ category. On Saturday, the AQI was recorded at 268, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The primary pollutants contributing to this smoggy atmosphere are PM10 and PM2.5. The visible impact of this pollution has been a reduction in visibility across the city, as indicated by various photographs. This concerning air quality trend occurs during the festive period of Dhanteras and just two days before Diwali, a time when air pollution levels are typically expected to worsen.
Looking at the daily figures, Delhi’s AQI was 254 on Friday, October 17. This follows readings of 245 on Thursday, 233 on Wednesday, and 211 on Tuesday. Prior to this period, the city’s air quality had been categorized as ‘moderate’.
Meanwhile, Ghaziabad has emerged as the most polluted city in the region, with its AQI reaching a ‘very poor’ level of 324 on Saturday. This marks the third consecutive day Ghaziabad has seen ‘very poor’ air quality, with AQI readings of 307 on Thursday and 306 on Friday.
For context, the CPCB defines AQI levels as follows: 0-50 is ‘good,’ 51-100 is ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 is ‘moderate,’ 201-300 is ‘poor,’ 301-400 is ‘very poor,’ and 401-500 is ‘severe.’
Projections from the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi indicate that the ‘poor’ air quality is likely to persist through Sunday. An escalation to the upper end of the ‘very poor’ category is anticipated on Monday, potentially exacerbated by emissions from firecrackers during Diwali. The outlook for the following six days suggests a continued trend of ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ air quality.
On a related note, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 19.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD has also predicted the possibility of smog or shallow fog in several parts of Delhi during the morning hours of Sunday.