Delhi's air quality worst in country, hits 'severe' for first time this season

The city's 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418, up from 334 the previous day

PTI

New Delhi, Updated At : 10:12 PM Nov 13, 2024 IST

A woman covering her face with a scarf passes on a footbridge amid a thick layer of smog in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

Delhi recorded the worst air quality in the country on Wednesday, with the AQI recorded in the "severe" category for the first time this season, even as the central pollution watchdog attributed the deterioration to an "unprecedentedly dense" fog.

The city's 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418, up from 334 the previous day, and it may trigger stringent restrictions under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to mitigate hazardous conditions.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), however, said owing to stronger winds, the pollutant concentration is expected to start showing a declining trend Thursday onwards and the AQI is likely to move back to the "very poor" category.

"After a comprehensive review, the sub-committee decided to closely monitor the situation before implementing Stage-III of GRAP and will reassess the status on Thursday," the CAQM said in a post on X.

The national capital saw its first dense fog and lowest daytime temperature of the season so far on Wednesday, trapping pollutants.

The maximum temperature in Delhi (Safdarjung) dropped from 32.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday to 27.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Bihar's Hajipur, with an AQI of 417, had the second-worst reading in the country on Wednesday, the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data showed.

Of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi, 30 recorded the air quality in the "severe" category, the CPCB said.

According to the CPCB, Delhi's AQI was in the "severe" category for three days in January. On January 14, the AQI was recorded at 447, followed by 409 on January 24 as well as on January 26.

If the city's air quality remains in the "severe" category on Thursday, authorities may impose restrictions under the third stage of the GRAP, including a ban on construction and demolition activities and plying of BS-lll petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles.

According to the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicular emission was the top contributor to Delhi's pollution on Wednesday, with an estimated share of 13.3 per cent.