New Delhi: The national capital recorded a relatively warm morning on Sunday, with the minimum temperature touching 20.6°C — about 2.2 degrees above the normal for this time of year, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Humidity levels stood at 71% around 8:30 AM, and the weather office forecast clear skies for the rest of the day. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 33°C.
While the weather remained dry and slightly warmer than usual, air quality continued to be a growing concern for residents. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 284 at 9 AM, placing Delhi’s overall air quality in the ‘poor’ category.
Several areas, however, crossed into more alarming territory. Out of the city’s 38 monitoring stations, 12 registered AQI levels in the ‘very poor’ range. Anand Vihar reported the most hazardous air, with an AQI of 430 — nearing the ‘severe’ category. Other heavily polluted zones included Wazirpur (364), Vivek Vihar (351), Dwarka (335), and RK Puram (323).
Additional localities such as Siri Fort, Jahangirpuri, Punjabi Bagh, and Ashok Vihar also reported AQIs above 300, reflecting widespread air quality deterioration across multiple neighborhoods.
The CPCB classifies air quality on a scale from 0 to 500, where 201–300 is deemed ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and anything above 400 falls into the ‘severe’ category, posing serious health risks.
As pollution levels begin to rise with the onset of cooler weather and increased festive activity, environmental experts are urging residents to reduce outdoor exposure, especially those with respiratory conditions.
Authorities have not yet announced any emergency response measures, but officials say they are monitoring the situation closely as pollution typically worsens heading into late October and November.
