As cooler days settle over the national capital, Delhi’s air quality has once again plunged to alarming levels. On Friday, the AQI in Delhi was recorded at 591, according to private air quality monitor and forecaster AQI.in. However, the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) pegged the AQI much lower, at 310. Visuals show thick smog blanketing the skyline, leaving buildings and roads barely visible from a distance.
Stubble burning continues
The air quality deterioration coincides with a sharp rise in stubble burning across neighbouring states. At least 351 instances of stubble burning were recorded in Punjab on the Thursday— the second-highest daily count this pre-winter season, taking the AQI to “very poor” category. The highest was observed on November 1, when Punjab witnessed 442 such incidents.
Other states also witnessed cases of stubble burning, with 35 incidents in Haryana, 83 in Rajasthan, 354 in Madhya Pradesh, and none in Delhi.
October among the worst in recent years
In October, Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 223, the second-worst for October in five years. Nearly two-thirds of the month was spent breathing ‘poor’ air or worse — 11 days in the ‘poor’ category, seven in ‘very poor,’ and none in the ‘good’ category.
According to AQI.in, breathing air in this location is as harmful as smoking 10.2 cigarettes a day. This estimate is based on the average PM2.5 concentration over the past 24 hours, assuming continuous exposure during that time.
The PM2.5 concentration on Monday was measured at 360 µg/m³, far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 15 µg/m³. The current PM2.5 level in New Delhi is 24 times above the recommended guideline. According to the WHO, “exposure to PM2.5 can cause diseases affecting both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, including stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”
Among the most polluted areas were Ghazipur (812), I P Extension (700), Maharam Mohalla (710), Mayur Vihar Station 1 (802), New Ashok Nagar (760), and South Sainik Farm (740) — all recording hazardous levels of pollution.
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Pollution levels were nearly as bad in neighbouring cities, withGhaziabad (629), Noida (663), Greater Noida (634), and Gurugram (523)also experiencing unhealthy air quality.
Weather and health advisory
The temperature in Delhi on Friday was 19 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 18 per cent.
Experts have advised residents to avoid outdoor exercise or commuting during peak pollution hours, use N95 masks when outside, and run air purifiers indoors to minimise exposure to fine particulate matter.
