New Delhi: The national capital continued to choke under heavy smog for the second straight day on Monday, as Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category despite a marginal improvement from the previous day, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed.
According to the CPCB, Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 319 on Monday, an improvement from 377 on Sunday, but still well above the safe limit. The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) has predicted that pollution levels are expected to persist in the same category through Tuesday.
Among the city’s 39 monitoring stations, Wazirpur (385) and Narela (382) registered the highest pollution levels. In contrast, ITO recorded the cleanest air in the city with an AQI of 99, categorised as ‘satisfactory’. Other areas such as Najafgarh (186) and Sri Aurobindo Marg (195) fell into the ‘moderate’ range, while locations like Lodhi Road (210), DTU (242), NSIT Dwarka (259), and IGI Airport T3 (285) reported ‘poor’ air quality.
As per CPCB norms, an AQI between 0–50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and anything above 400 ‘severe’.
Officials attributed Monday’s stagnating air to a decline in wind speed — dropping below 8 kmph — which prevented the dispersal of pollutants. The AQEWS also noted that the winds were primarily blowing from the northwest, likely carrying stubble smoke from neighbouring states.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a maximum temperature of 30.7°C, slightly below normal, and a minimum of 16.8°C, about 1.5 degrees above the seasonal average. Humidity levels hovered around 75% by early evening. The IMD has predicted shallow fog for Tuesday morning, with temperatures expected to range between 15°C and 30°C.
In addition to weather conditions, authorities have stepped up anti-pollution measures. The ban on entry of commercial vehicles that are not BS-III compliant and registered outside Delhi has been in force since November 1, as part of efforts to curb vehicular emissions — one of the city’s primary pollution sources.
The national capital typically sees a sharp deterioration in air quality during late October and early November, driven by a combination of crop residue burning, vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, and unfavourable weather conditions. With winter setting in, experts warn that the situation may worsen unless strong preventive steps are taken immediately.
