Delhi air quality worsens as AQI reaches 373 on Wednesday morning
The city-level Air Quality Index climbed to the very poor category as smog enveloped the capital and parts of the NCR.
A thick layer of smog enveloped Delhi on Wednesday morning, with the city-level Air Quality Index (AQI) climbing to 373 at 7 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported by Business Standard. The reading increased from 331 on Tuesday and remains in the very poor category, with PM2.5 and PM10 identified as the prominent pollutants.
All 59 reporting air quality monitoring stations in the capital recorded readings above 200, while 54 stations registered AQI levels above 300. Punjabi Bagh recorded the highest AQI at 452, followed by Jahangirpuri at 450 and IIT Delhi at 446. Twenty-one locations crossed the 400 mark, entering the severe category.
Pollution levels also deteriorated across the National Capital Region (NCR). Bahadurgarh recorded an AQI of 373, Gurugram stood at 322, Manesar at 320, and Noida at 310. In contrast, Faridabad recorded a relatively better AQI of 128.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has kept Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in force. This stage was invoked on November 2 after Delhi's 24-hour average AQI reached 324. Measures include intensified road sweeping, water sprinkling, and the deployment of anti-smog guns.
Dr Randeep Guleria, chairman of the Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Medanta, Gurugram, said severe pollution poses a major challenge for children, the elderly, and those with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. He noted that when AQI hits the severe range, there is an increase in patients seeking emergency care for breathing difficulties.