Delhi's air quality remains in 'very poor' category, AQI recorded at 309

Delhi AQI

The air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 309 at 7 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Though marginally better than Monday, when the AQI stood at 316 at 8 am, pollution levels across several parts of the city remained alarming.

According to CPCB data, areas such as Lodhi Road and Tilak Marg recorded relatively moderate pollution levels, with the AQI at 153, categorised as 'moderate,' while the AQI at ITO and its adjoining areas was reported at 347, placing it in the 'very poor' category.

Anand Vihar and its nearby area recorded an AQI of 392, categorised in the 'very poor' category.
The Kartavya Path area reported an AQI of 278, which also falls in the "poor" category. On Monday, the Kartavya Path area reported an AQI of 307.

Additionally, the Akshardham area has a layer of haze lingering in the air. AQI around the area was recorded at 392, categorised as 'very poor'.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.

Furthermore, authorities have deployed truck-mounted water sprinklers and other dust control measures across several parts of the city to mitigate the rising pollution levels.

While speaking to ANI on Monday, Shane, a foreign national visiting India, said, "It's pretty bad. I came from Agra by bus, and as I got closer to Delhi, the smog became thicker. You could definitely tell the difference. The closer I got to Delhi, it kept getting worse, to the point where I could even barely see the sun anymore..."

Saif, a resident of Delhi, complained of breathing issues and eye irritation. "Pollution in Delhi is rising. There is burning in the eyes and difficulty in breathing. The government should do something about it," he told ANI.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi was expected to have a clear sky, with smog during the early hours.

Since Diwali, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has been reeling under the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories in several areas, even as Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains in effect.