Delhi air quality turns hazardous as AQI reaches 494
Dense fog and pollution reduced visibility across the national capital on Friday morning.
Delhi's air quality reached hazardous levels on Friday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 494 at 7:31 am, according to reports by The Times of India, The New Indian Express and The Tribune.
Dense fog and pollution enveloped the national capital, reducing visibility in several areas. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that IIT Delhi recorded an AQI of 488, while ITO recorded 455, Anand Vihar 419, Rohini 413 and Rajokri Border 402, all in the severe category.
Other areas reported very poor air quality, including R K Puram at 391, Mandir Marg at 378, Dwarka Expressway at 369, Uttam Nagar at 363 and Lodhi Road at 341. Dhaula Kuan recorded a moderate AQI of 161.
The Delhi government has been deploying water sprinklers across the state to minimise the impact of particulate matter. However, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the credibility of CPCB readings, alleging a fraud against the city's 2 crore residents.
Citing a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Bharadwaj claimed actual pollution figures were 49 per cent higher than those displayed on government websites. He alleged that an AQI shown as 370 could actually be 560 or higher.
The CREA study of 59 monitoring stations found 255 missing hourly records between 4 pm on November 8 and 4 pm on November 9. It noted the 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration rose from 269 to 400 micrograms per cubic metre.
