With 10 Days To Go For Diwali, Air Quality Worsens In Delhi-NCR. Mumbai AQI Hovers Around 150

It is to be noted that the AQI in many areas of the national capital has already breached the 400-mark to enter the severe category.

New Delhi: Residents of Delhi-NCR have been reeling under the air pollution menace for almost a week as the smoky haze shrouding Delhi thickened on Thursday due to a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions.

Delhi and Noida stood in the 'very poor' category on Thursday evening with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 384 and 312 respectively, according to the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board data.

Mumbai, although in a better state, ranged in the “poor” category with an AQI of 150-200, according to a numerical model-based system developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune.

It is to be noted that the AQI in many areas of the national capital has already breached the 400-mark to enter the severe category and the scientists have warned of a spike in pollution levels in Delhi-NCR over the next two weeks. 

The 24-hour average AQI was 364 on Wednesday, 359 on Tuesday, 347 on Monday, 325 on Sunday, 304 on Saturday, and 261 on Friday.

Amid the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday invoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect in the entire National Capital Region (NCR).

Several areas within the city, including Punjabi Bagh (439), Dwarka Sector-8 (420), Jahangirpuri (403), Rohini (422), Narela (422), Wazirpur (406), Bawana (432), Mundka (439), Anand Vihar (452) and New Moti Bagh (406), recorded 'severe' air quality.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced on Wednesday that the city government would ban construction work in areas where the AQI remains above the 400-mark for five consecutive days.

Meanwhile, according to the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board on November 1, the air quality in Greater Noida stood at 354 in the 'very poor' category and Faridabad was also in the same category with an air quality index of 309. However, Ghaziabad and Gurugram were slightly better with an AQI of 254 and 226 in the 'poor' category.