Delhi-NCR air remains in ‘very poor’ category; winter chill eases

New Delhi, Jan 21
Air pollution levels across Delhi-NCR continued to remain alarming on Wednesday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 380 at 8:00 a.m., placing the region firmly in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Most parts of the national Capital recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while a few locations slipped into the ‘poor’ category, offering little relief to residents grappling with prolonged pollution.

Jahangirpuri registered an AQI of 395, while Rohini and Anand Vihar both recorded 391.

Wazirpur followed closely at 388, and Bawana reported an AQI of 384, reflecting consistently high pollution levels across north and northwest Delhi.

Several other areas also continued to report ‘very poor’ air quality, including Mundka with an AQI of 381, R K Puram at 378, Punjabi Bagh at 377 and Dwarka Sector-8, which also recorded 377.

Central and east Delhi remained heavily polluted as well, with ITO and Vivek Vihar each recording an AQI of 372.

Chandni Chowk and Patparganj were not far behind, both registering an AQI of 370, indicating persistent pollution across densely populated areas.

As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as ‘good’, 51 to 100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 as ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 as ‘poor’, 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 as ‘severe’.

Earlier, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on January 20 after a marginal improvement in air quality.

However, restrictions under Stages I, II and III of GRAP continue to remain in force across the region.

The ban on the entry of BS-IV diesel trucks and older heavy goods vehicles into Delhi has been completely lifted, providing some operational relief, though air quality remains a major concern.

Meanwhile, the winter chill in the capital has begun to ease gradually.

The maximum temperature is hovering around 24 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature has settled close to 7 degrees Celsius, offering some respite from the cold even as pollution continues to pose serious health risks.