New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality slipped into the “very poor” category on Sunday, with the Air Quality Index touching 302 at 10 a.m., according to data from the CPCB’s Sameer app.
Officials noted that 26 monitoring stations across the capital showed “very poor” readings, including Ashok Vihar at 322, Bawana at 352, Burari at 318, Chandni Chowk at 307, and Dwarka at 307, suggesting that pollution was widespread.
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered “very poor,” a range associated with health risks for both vulnerable groups and the wider population. Several areas, such as Anand Vihar and ITO, were reportedly blanketed in dense smog, leading to reduced visibility, TNIE reported.
Authorities pointed out that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has been tasked with overseeing pollution mitigation in Delhi-NCR. The commission has issued 95 statutory directions and enforces the Graded Response Action Plan, along with stricter emission controls on polluting activities. Regular monitoring and review meetings continue to be part of the protocol.
The India Meteorological Department predicted a cold wave for the day, saying the minimum temperature would drop to 8°C—around 1.6°C below normal—while morning humidity had touched 100 per cent. The maximum temperature was expected to remain between 22°C and 24°C.
A government statement issued on Friday referred to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha by MP Dr Laxmikant Bajpayee about claims that one in seven deaths in Delhi could be linked to toxic air.
Responding to this, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said several academic and research institutions had carried out studies on the health impacts of pollution. He also pointed out that in 2025, Delhi had not recorded a single day in the “severe-plus” AQI category.