New Delhi: A thick layer of smog covered Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday as air quality deteriorated further, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 387, placing it in the “very poor” category, official data showed.
The air quality has steadily worsened over the past week. On Tuesday, Delhi recorded an AQI of 282, categorised as “poor,” which improved marginally to 259 on Wednesday before rising sharply to 307 on Thursday.
Pollution levels increased further to 349 on Friday and remained close to the “severe” category on Saturday.
Several areas in the national capital reported hazardous pollution levels. As many as 18 localities recorded an AQI above 400, falling in the “severe” category.
Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 443, followed by Jahangirpuri at 439 and Vivek Vihar at 437. Other areas with severe air quality included Rohini and Anand Vihar (434 each), Ashok Vihar (431), Sonia Vihar and Delhi Technological University (427 each), Narela (425), Bawana (424), Nehru Nagar (421), Patparganj (419), ITO (417), Punjabi Bagh (416), Mundka (415), Burari Crossing (413), Chandni Chowk (412) and DU North Campus (401).Experts attributed the decline in air quality to stagnant wind conditions, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution and seasonal factors, including crop residue burning in neighbouring states.
Health experts said prolonged exposure to such pollution levels could aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and advised people to limit outdoor activities.
Authorities urged residents to follow advisories under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which could be tightened if pollution levels continue to rise.
Meanwhile, Delhi experienced cool and cloudy weather conditions, with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature is likely to dip to around 8 degrees Celsius later in the night, the Met department said.
Officials said dense fog during early morning and late evening hours has also affected visibility, causing inconvenience to commuters. They added that colder conditions expected later in the month could further impact air quality if wind speeds remain low.
