Delhi Enters 'Red Zone' As AQI Crosses 'Severe' Mark In Several Areas Amid Deteriorating Air Quality
Several areas recorded "severe" pollution. Stubble burning contributed 30% and transport 15.2% to the smog.
Delhi continued to choke under a thick blanket of smog on Saturday as pollution levels surged past the 400 mark in several parts of the city, placing the national capital among the most polluted in the country.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 361, categorised as ‘very poor’ and marking the city’s slide deeper into the red zone. This made Delhi the second most polluted city in India on Saturday.
Several monitoring stations recorded ‘severe’ air quality levels. Alipur registered an AQI of 404, ITO 402, Nehru Nagar 406, Vivek Vihar 411, Wazirpur 420, and Burari 418, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app data from 38 stations across the capital.
In the NCR region, Noida recorded an AQI of 354, Greater Noida 336, and Ghaziabad 339, all in the ‘very poor’ category. On Friday, Delhi had topped the list of most polluted cities with an AQI of 322.
Stubble burning and transport emissions drive pollution
The Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality forecasting estimated that stubble burning contributed around 30% to Delhi’s pollution levels, while the transport sector accounted for 15.2% on Saturday. Satellite imagery indicated 100 farm fire incidents in Punjab, 18 in Haryana, and 164 in Uttar Pradesh on Friday.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, pollution levels are expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category over the next few days, with little chance of significant improvement. Since Diwali, the city’s air quality has hovered between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’, frequently touching the ‘severe’ zone.
An AQI between 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 satisfactory, 101–200 moderate, 201–300 poor, 301–400 very poor, and 401–500 severe, as per CPCB standards.
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