Air Quality in Delhi Persists in ‘Severe’ Category

New Delhi : The aftermath of Diwali celebrations in Delhi has left the city shrouded in a thick layer of haze, pushing the air quality into the ‘severe’ category. On Friday, several parts of Delhi, including RK Puram, New Moti Bagh, IGI Airport area, and Nehru Nagar, recorded alarming levels of air pollution, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 8 am.

The air quality index (AQI) in RK Puram reached 461, while New Moti Bagh recorded 454, the IGI Airport area had an AQI of 465, and Nehru Nagar registered a staggering 475, all falling within the ‘severe’ category. This marked a significant deterioration from the post-Diwali readings on Wednesday when the AQI in RK Puram was 420, New Moti Bagh recorded 408, the IGI Airport area had an AQI of 404, and Nehru Nagar registered 433, all still in the ‘severe’ category.

Despite the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers, the city witnessed a thick layer of smog on the night of Diwali, with the toxic haze persisting the following day due to continued fireworks. The CPCB’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) tracker revealed that Delhi experienced the highest spike in pollution, with a reading of 999.5 ug/m3 at Pusa on November 13 at 1:30 am. The NCAP Tracker, a collaboration between Climate Trends and Respirer Living Sciences, analyzed PM 2.5 data for 11 capital cities.

Nine out of the 11 state capitals analyzed in India reported increased pollution in the first 12 hours after Diwali celebrations this year compared to last year. Despite the alarming pollution levels and the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers, residents engaged in bursting fireworks, contributing to the deteriorating air quality.

Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, conducted a review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat to ensure strict compliance with GRAP-IV rules in the city. In response to the worsening air quality, a 6-member special task force has been formed under the leadership of the Environment Special Secretary to oversee the implementation and monitoring of GRAP rules.