Page 2 - Delhi Air Quality

Delhi's AQI severe; forecasts predict immediate improvement, says CAQM

Delhi's air quality rapidly deteriorated to the severe category on Sunday, but the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chose not to invoke curbs under stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan in view of a prediction of "immediate improvement". The action plan is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the national capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 on Sunday, worsening from 294 on Saturday, amid calm winds. The stable atmospheric conditions allowed accumulation of pollutants from highly localised sources, such as a fire in central Delhi on Saturday, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. In a statement, the CAQM said the sub-committee responsible for invoking action under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) took stock of the situation at a meeting on Sunday. It noted that the sudden and steep dip in air quality in the region is an "aberrat

Mumbai's air quality index in 'poor' category, Delhi at 'very poor'

Delhi on the other hand recorded an Air Quality Index of 245 on Sunday on SAFAR

Air quality enters 'very poor' category in Delhi, overall AQI at 316

According to the forecast from SAFAR, the air quality of the city will deteriorate further on Thursday

Clean-up act: Why Delhi has consistently failed to make its air breathable

Experts say a China-like approach is needed with neighbouring states working alongside it

Anti-pollution curbs under GRAP stage 3 lifted in Delhi as AQI improves

Restrictions imposed under Graded Response Action Plan's (GRAP) Stage III have been withdrawn from Delhi-NCR after marginal improvement in the city's air quality, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Sunday. Curbs under Stage III included a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, closure of stone crushers and mining activities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). However, restrictions that were imposed under Stage-I and Stage-II of GRAP will continue. The decision was taken after the sub committee of GRAP noted that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi marginally improved from the level of 353 (very poor) on January 14 to 213 (poor) on January 15. Based on the decision of the Sub-committee on GRAP, actions upto Stage-III were invoked on January 6 in the NCR, pursuant to prediction of a significant deterioration in the average air quality of Delhi. The Sub-committee in its meeting held on January 15 reviewed the air quality scenario in the region and ...

Air quality improves marginally in Delhi; AQI at 312 but smog persists

The improvement was slight but significant as the AQI was in the 'severe' category on Wednesday, at 421

Delhi air quality remains in 'severe' category with an overall AQI at 421

Delhi air quality of the national capital continued to be "severe" on Wednesday with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 421

Cities choking still as India's clean air plan spends Rs 6897 cr in 4 yrs

Srinagar and Kohima among cleanest in country; Delhi most polluted city in 2022

Delhi's air quality remains in 'severe' category for second consecutive day

Delhi's air quality remained severe for a second consecutive day on Tuesday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions though pollution levels are likely to ameliorate in the coming days, forecasting agencies said. The city's air quality index had deteriorated to the "severe" category on Monday after a gap of around two months, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to direct all NCR states to implement anti-pollution curbs with greater vigour. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 407 at 4 pm on Tuesday. It was 434 on Monday and 371 on Sunday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". The Delhi government on Monday imposed a temporary ban on plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the national capital in view of the worsening air quality. The CAQM had on Friday implemented curbs under stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan including a ban on private constructi

Mercury rises in Delhi, min temperature at 6.4 degrees Celsius on Monday

Cold wave conditions abated in Delhi on Tuesday due to a fresh western disturbance affecting northwest India, even as a dense layer of fog lowered visibility to just 50 metres, affecting road and rail movement. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded a minimum temperature of 6.4 degrees Celsius as against 3.8 degrees Celsius on Monday. The weather stations at Lodhi Road and Palam logged a minimum temperature of 6.4 degrees Celsius and 7.5 degrees Celsius. An official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the Palam observatory near the Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded a visibility level of 50 metres. Thirty-nine trains were delayed by an hour to five-and-a-half hours due to the foggy weather, a Northern Railways spokesperson said. Satellite images showed a dense layer of fog persisting over vast swathes of north India, extending from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. According to the weather office, 'very

Ban on plying of BS-III petrol, BS-IV diesel vehicles in Delhi from Tues

The Delhi government has decided to impose a temporary ban on plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the national capital from Tuesday in view of the worsening air quality. Delhi's air quality worsened to the severe category on Monday owning to unfavourable meteorological conditions -- clam winds and low temperatures -- prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to direct all NCR states to implement anti-pollution curbs with greater vigour. "The ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles will kick in from Tuesday since the air quality has deteriorated in the severe category. We are monitoring the situation along with the Environment department. For now, the ban is likely to be in place till Friday. If the air quality improves, the ban could be lifted before Friday," said a senior Transport department official. The national capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 434 at 4 pm on Monday, worsening from 371 on Sunday. An AQI ...

Delhi AQI 'severe', CAQM asks NCR to implement anti-pollution curbs

As Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the "severe" category on Monday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed all NCR states to implement anti-pollution curbs with greater vigour. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 434 at 4 pm on Monday, worsening from 371 on Sunday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". An official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said low temperatures, calm winds and high moisture content led to trapping of pollutants. Considering the sudden spike in air pollution, the CAQM held an urgent review meeting with officials from Delhi and NCR states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and directed them to implement the provisions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the field with "greater vigour to prevent further deterioration of air quality". The commission also stressed on the need to

Delhi air quality remains at 'very poor'; IMD issues alert for extreme cold

The Met office said the double whammy of a declining air quality and the ongoing severe cold wave will only add to the woes of residents

At 2.2 degrees Celsius, Delhi records season's lowest minimum temperature

Delhi on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius, five notches below the average and the season's lowest so far, according to the India Meteorological Department. Very dense fog reduced visibility at Palam to around 50 metres, affecting road and rail traffic. The visibility at the Palam observatory near the Indira Gandhi International Airport was 25 metres at 5:30 am. A Railways spokesperson said 36 trains were delayed by one to seven hours due to the foggy weather. According to the weather office, 'very dense' fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, 51 and 200 metres is 'dense', 201 and 500 metres 'moderate', and 501 and 1,000 metres 'shallow'. The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's primary weather station, logged a minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius. Lodhi Road, Ayanagar and Ridge weather stations recorded minimum temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees and 1.5 degrees, respectively. The humidity at 8:30 am was recorded at 100 per c

Toxic levels rise in Delhi air, experts warn of respiratory issues

As the toxicity levels in Delhi's air quality is increasing, health experts have warned of respiratory illnesses, especially among people with heart and lung diseases

Delhi's air quality in 'very poor' category as AQI reaches 353: SAFAR

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the AQI in the National Capital Region of Gurugram stood at 371, with Noida also registering the same figure

Delhi in 2022 logged 2nd-lowest average PM2.5, PM10 levels in 5 years

Delhi in 2022 saw the lowest recorded daily average PM10 and PM2.5 concentration in five years, barring 2020 with lowest anthropogenic activities due to the pandemic-related restrictions, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Monday. PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in 2022, with all activities in full throttle in the Delhi-NCR region, were even lower than those recorded in 2021, it said in a statement. The city logged average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations of 211 microgram per cubic metre and 98 microgram per cubic metre. The values were the lowest after 2020 which saw average PM 10 and PM2.5 concentrations of 181 microgram per cubic metre and 95 microgram per cubic metre, respectively. Delhi's PM2.5 levels remained in the severe category for 204 hours in 2022 compared to 628 hours in 2021. The average air quality index (AQI) was recorded below the 200-mark for 1,096 hours in 2022 as against 827 hours in 2021, the Centre's air quality panel said. In 2022, Delhi al

Delhi's AQI in 'very poor' category, GRAP stage III norms remain enforced

The Sub-Committee is keeping a close watch on the situation and will review the air quality scenario accordingly on a regular basis, said the Ministry

Cold wave conditions return to Delhi, AQI recorded in 'very poor' category

According to IMD, the minimum and maximum temperatures in Jan 2023 are most likely to remain below normal over many parts of central India and adjoining areas of peninsular, east and northwest India

Smog engulfs Delhi; air quality in 'very poor' category, AQI at 369

Smog engulfed the national capital on Saturday morning pushing the overall air quality to remain in 'very poor' category with an overall Air Quality Index of 369