Delhi: The national capital continued to grapple with unhealthy air on Monday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 214 around 7 am, placing it in the ‘poor’ category. The reading marks a slight improvement compared to Sunday morning, when the AQI stood at 221.
Data released by the Central Pollution Control Board showed varying pollution levels across different parts of the city.
Pollution Hotspots Across the Capital
Among the worst-affected areas, Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 293, while Jahangirpuri followed closely at 285. Wazirpur registered 268, Bawana 259, and Narela 243. Other localities including Chandni Chowk (247), RK Puram (239), Dwarka Sector 8 (234), Punjabi Bagh (203), DTU (203), and ITO (200) also remained within the ‘poor’ range.
In contrast, certain central pockets recorded relatively better air quality. The AQI near India Gate and Kartavya Path was measured at 156, while the area around AIIMS reported 148 — both falling under the ‘moderate’ category.
Understanding AQI Categories
As per CPCB standards, AQI levels between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and readings above 400 fall into the ‘severe’ category.
On Sunday, several areas had recorded similarly elevated pollution levels. Mundka registered 275, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 265, Anand Vihar 265, Rohini 250, Vivek Vihar 252, Ashok Vihar 243, Bawana 241, Chandni Chowk 228, Dwarka 221, and ITO 213.
Weather Outlook for Neighbouring States
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department’s Chandigarh centre reported a gradual rise in minimum temperatures across Punjab and Haryana. According to the weather office, Punjab has been experiencing above-normal night temperatures, while Haryana’s readings are hovering near seasonal averages.
Officials noted that the upward trend in minimum temperatures has led to comparatively milder early morning conditions across the region.
