Air pollution: Toxic smoke choking Delhi-NCR as AQI turns severe

The air quality in various areas of Delhi plunged into the 'severe' category on Friday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Mundka registered the highest Air Quality Index (498). Delhi's 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm each day, was 392 on Thursday, 364 on Wednesday, 359 on Tuesday, 347 on Monday, 325 on Sunday, 304 on Saturday, and 261 on Friday.

Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai on Friday stated that it is beyond the government's capacity to entirely manage the pollution in the national capital. He emphasized that sources external to the city contribute twice as much to the pollution levels. This followed a situation where the air quality in various areas of the national capital plummeted into the 'severe' category on Friday morning.

The NCR cities recorded their worst air quality of the season even as low wind speed and farm fires are likely to exacerbate pollution levels over the next few days. In Gurgaon, Gwalpahari station, located 5km from the protected Aravali hill range, recorded the worst AQI of 320 (very poor). Many other districts of Haryana too witnessed severe air day.

The air crisis is not confined to Delhi alone; several cities in neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have also reported hazardous air quality. As the air quality worsened, a dense haze enveloped the skyline of the national capital along with Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon, and Ghaziabad.

The AQI in Delhi was measured at 438 in the Lodhi Road area, 491 in Jahangirpuri, 486 in the RK Puram area, and 473 at IGI Airport (T3) putting them in severe category. At around 10am, the Safdarjung Observatory and the Palam Observatory recorded visibility levels of only 500 meters, as reported by the IMD.

The AQI at various locations in Noida also dropped into the 'severe' category, with Sector 62, Sector 1, and Sector 116 registering 483, 413, and 415 respectively.

The primary sections of all Delhi schools will be closed for two days starting from Friday due to the escalating pollution levels. This directive applies to students up to Class V. For the senior classes, the schools have suspended outdoor activities. From Class VI, children have been advised to wear mask.

The sub-committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management has implemented measures for 'severe' air pollution, activating stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan with immediate effect in Delhi and NCR. “Unfavourable meteorological conditions, sudden increase in farm fires and north-westerly winds moving pollutants to Delhi are the major causes for the sudden spike in AQI,” explained CAQM, adding that it was keeping a close watch on the situation. It directed officials to further intensify public transport services and introduce differential rates to encourage off-peak travel.

CAQM has directed all states to enforce strict restrictions on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel cars in Delhi, as well as in the districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. In the next stage (Stage IV) of GRAP, only CNG, electric, and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other states are allowed to enter Delhi.