Delhi’s air quality continues to deteriorate as the city prepares for Diwali, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 331 on Tuesday morning, categorizing it as ‘very poor.’ The national capital is enveloped in a thick haze, marking a significant decline from an AQI of 60 last Friday. On Monday, the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 324, the worst in 271 days, showcasing a notable increase from Sunday’s reading of 261.
In particular, eight of Delhi’s 58 air quality monitoring stations reported ‘severe’ pollution levels, including areas like Bawana, Narela, and Punjabi Bagh. Conversely, the monitoring station at IGNOU in Maidangarhi was the only one to report moderate air quality. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), PM2.5 was the dominant pollutant at 53 stations, while PM10 prevailed at the remaining five.
The worsening air quality coincides with the prevalence of farm fires in neighboring states. Satellite data indicates that between October 1 and November 2, 1,561 farm fires were recorded in Punjab and Haryana. Punjab alone accounted for 1,406 incidents, with Haryana reporting 155. On November 2, 167 fires were detected, contributing to Delhi’s pollution woes.
In response to the escalating pollution levels, authorities have enacted Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR. The implementation includes measures such as staggering office timings for employees in Delhi and neighboring cities like Gurugram and Ghaziabad, and increasing parking fees to reduce private vehicle use. Furthermore, resident welfare associations have been encouraged to supply electric heaters to security personnel to minimize open burning during cold periods.