Delhi’s Air Quality Sees Minor Relief But Remains In ‘Very Poor’ Zone
Delhi’s AQI saw slight improvement but stayed in the ‘very poor’ range, with several hotspots in the ‘severe’ category. Schools and sports events were postponed amid persistent toxic pollution.
- Delhi's AQI improved slightly, still in 'very poor' category.
- Most monitoring stations registered alarming AQI levels above 300.
- Farm fire incidents are lower compared to previous harvests.
Delhi woke up to a marginal improvement in air quality on Saturday, yet the city continued to struggle with pollution levels firmly placed in the ‘very poor’ category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 359, offering only slight relief from recent days of toxic smog.
Most Monitoring Stations Cross AQI 300
Despite the modest improvement, pollution levels remained alarming across Delhi. Of the 39 monitoring stations, 38 recorded AQI readings above 300, signalling widespread deterioration in air quality. Only the IHBAS station in Dilshad Garden reported a reading below the ‘very poor’ threshold.
A dozen key locations also slipped into the ‘severe’ category, breaching the 400 mark. Major hotspots such as Anand Vihar (422), Narela (401), Ashok Vihar (403), Bawana (419), Jahangirpuri (417), Rohini (414), Vivek Vihar (423) and Nehru Nagar (402) reported dangerously high pollution levels, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Farm Fire Numbers Offer Seasonal Comparison
Fresh government data highlighted the extent of stubble-burning incidents in neighbouring states. Between September and 20 November, Punjab recorded around 5,000 farm fires, Uttar Pradesh 4,600, and Haryana 592. These figures stand in sharp contrast to the summer wheat-harvesting season, when Punjab logged 47,000 cases, Uttar Pradesh 45,000, and Haryana 9,700.
Friday’s Air Quality Also ‘Very Poor’
The poor air quality is not a one-off event. On Friday morning, Delhi’s AQI stood at 373, only slightly better than the previous day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The city has witnessed consistently harsh pollution levels through the week.
To put the numbers into perspective, CPCB categorises AQI scores as follows:
- 0–50: Good
- 51–100: Satisfactory
- 101–200: Moderate
- 201–300: Poor
- 301–400: Very Poor
- 401–500: Severe
Schools and Sports Events Put on Hold
With pollution continuing to affect daily life, the Delhi government has instructed all schools, colleges, universities and sports bodies to postpone physical sports competitions planned for November and December. The order comes in response to directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which urged NCR states and Delhi to immediately defer such events due to the hazardous air conditions.
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