Delhi air quality enters very poor category as smog returns
The national capital faces hazardous pollution levels with AQI reaching 367 ahead of Diwali celebrations.
Air quality in Delhi has entered the very poor category, with overall AQI levels touching 367, according to reports by The Federal and The Pioneer. PM2.5 is the primary pollutant contributing to the deteriorating air quality. In some areas, pollution levels were higher, with Jahangirpuri recording an AQI of 459, while monitoring stations at IIT Delhi and Punjabi Bagh reported 445.
The Pioneer reported that the city's air has remained in the very poor band for three consecutive days, with 20 monitoring stations slipping into the severe category. A thick blanket of smog has also reduced visibility and sunlight across the capital.
The Delhi government has reportedly considered using cloud seeding to induce artificial rain if pollution levels increase after the Diwali festival, according to a report in NDTV. The government has already conducted two cloud-seeding trials in the last 15 days at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR. These measures include restrictions on construction, curbs on diesel generator sets, and increased mechanised road cleaning.
The Supreme Court has permitted the use of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8 between 6 am to 7 am and 8 pm to 10 pm. The ban on firecrackers will be reinstated on November 9.