New Delhi: Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 270 at 6 a.m. on Sunday, placing the city in the ‘poor’ category, even as a slight improvement from the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ levels of recent days offered only marginal relief.
Officials said better surface wind movement on Saturday evening helped disperse some accumulated pollutants, but large parts of the capital continued to breathe unhealthy air unsafe for prolonged outdoor exposure.
Shadipur registered the dirtiest air in the city with an AQI of 336, followed by RK Puram at 308, both in the ‘very poor’ band, indicating a high risk of respiratory discomfort even among healthy people. Other chronic hotspots, including Burari (283), Bawana (295), Sirifort (295), Wazirpur (282), Chandni Chowk (281), Anand Vihar (281), Narela (279), Punjabi Bagh (266) and JLN Stadium (269), stayed in the ‘poor’ range, underlining the widespread nature of pollution across Delhi.
Some locations reported relatively cleaner air, with Mandir Marg logging an AQI of 157, the only station in the ‘moderate’ category. However, areas such as Aya Nagar (225), IGI Airport (227), NSIT Dwarka (228), Lodhi Road (251), Alipur (247), Najafgarh (242) and North Campus (240) all remained in the ‘poor’ band, reflecting citywide exposure to elevated particulate levels.
In the wider NCR, Gurugram recorded an AQI of 233 and Noida 267, both categorised as ‘poor’, while Ghaziabad stood at 262 in the same band and Faridabad reported a comparatively better 178, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. On India’s national AQI scale, values between 201 and 300 are classified as ‘poor’, a level associated with likely breathing discomfort, particularly during extended outdoor activity or exercise.
Residents across Delhi-NCR reported persistent haze, eye irritation and breathlessness despite the slight easing from last week’s toxic highs. With winter setting in and pollutants prone to getting trapped close to the ground during the colder early morning and late evening hours, health experts have advised people to limit outdoor exposure during these periods and take precautions such as wearing masks and avoiding strenuous activity outside.
(Inputs from IANS)