Delhi pollution: Air quality deteriorates to 'severe' category in Delhi-NCR; AQI at 419

Delhi's air quality is back to the ‘severe’ category on Friday after showing slight relief on Thursday. As per SAFAR-India statistics, National Capital's air quality index (AQI), the air quality deteriorated to 419, as against the ‘very poor’ category of 379 registered on Thursday. The city had 424 on Wednesday and 492 on Tuesday, one of the worst of the season. 

At 6 am on Saturday, the CPCB recorded Delhi’s AQI at 419, which placed it back in the ‘severe’ category. According to the CPCB data, the AQI measured at Chandni Chowk till 6 am was 440, IGI Airport (T3) 397, ITO 388, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 394, RK Puram 423, Okhla Phase 2 420, Patparganj 426, Pusa 398 and Aya Nagar 394. However, several places in Delhi are still in the ‘severe’ category for air pollution, with Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 458, Ashok Vihar at 457, Bawana at 458, Mundka at 443, and Wazirpur at 467. 

For the unversed, AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is severe.

The Supreme Court had considered easing Graded Response Action Plan-4 (GRAP-4) restrictions in the national capital after the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) claimed the air quality improved over the past two days. Given the worsening air quality, the apex court can decide otherwise on the scheduled hearing on November 25, 2024. 

Further, the court formed a team of 13 young advocates to act as Court Commissioners to visit the border entry points today. The team is directed to report back on the GRAP-4 compliance levels at these border points. Earlier, the court had discovered negligence in the capital when a few points were left unmanned and heavy trucks entered, violating the GRAP-4 ban. The pollution situation in Delhi has prompted schools to start online classes.