Toxic smog chokes Delhi as AQI crosses 400 in several areas

New Delhi: Delhi woke to a blanket of toxic smog on Sunday morning, with air quality plunging into the ‘very poor’ category and breaching the ‘severe’ threshold in multiple parts of the capital and surrounding NCR.

Calm winds and dense smog trapped pollutants close to the surface, significantly reducing visibility and worsening respiratory conditions across the region. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 372 at 6:30 a.m., with several localities including Wazirpur, RK Puram, Bawana, Rohini and Dwarka recording hazardous levels above 400. Most monitoring stations across Delhi showed AQI readings between 300 and 400, indicating widespread toxic air.

Neighbouring cities in the National Capital Region also reported alarming pollution levels, with Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Greater Noida and Noida all registering AQI values in the ‘very poor’ range. Meteorological conditions contributed heavily to the pollution spike, with visibility dropping to 900 metres at Safdarjung and 1,300 metres at Palam due to a mix of fog and smog. Wind speeds remained low at around 4 kmph, insufficient to disperse the accumulated pollutants. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted a maximum temperature of 30.5 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the seasonal average, and a minimum of 19.4 degrees Celsius, slightly above normal. Humidity levels reached 73 per cent on Saturday evening, further aiding smog formation.

Saturday night’s AQI was already in the ‘very poor’ range at 303, but overnight stagnation and weak winds caused a sharp spike by morning. Experts have warned that without rainfall or strong northwesterly winds, air quality is likely to deteriorate further in the coming days, exacerbated by stubble burning and local emissions.

(Inputs from IANS)