Despite hazardous air, Delhi records its lowest average AQI since 2018

Delhi pollution

Even as a thick blanket of toxic haze continues to hang over the national capital, the Central government informed Parliament on Monday that Delhi has recorded its lowest average Air Quality Index (AQI) this year since 2018, except for the unusual year of 2020, when pollution levels dropped sharply due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha about Delhi’s worsening air conditions, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav said that the number of “good” air quality days, when AQI stays below 200, has increased to 200 such days, compared to 110 in 2016.

He also pointed out that the number of days classified as “very poor” and “severe” has dropped. According to the government, these dangerous air quality days have come down from 71 in 2024 to 50 in 2025 so far.

Figures show that Delhi’s average AQI for the January-November 2025 period stood at 187. This is an improvement over 201 in 2024, 190 in 2023, 199 in 2022, 197 in 2021, 203 in 2019, and 213 in 2018.

Delhi’s average PM2.5 concentration was 85 µg/m³, the lowest since 2018. The PM2.5 average was 98 in 2024, 90 in 2023, 95 in 2021, and 103 in 2018. The PM10 average also declined, standing at 183 µg/m³ for the January–November period, down from 205 in 2024, 193 in 2023, and 228 in 2018.

AQI in ‘very poor’ zone on Tuesday morning

Despite these figures, the residents of national capital woke up to “very poor” air quality on Tuesday morning. After briefly improving and moving into the ‘poor’ category for two days, the air quality worsened once again on Tuesday. As of 6 am, the city’s overall AQI stood at 331, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Several stations recorded even higher levels, with Bawana at 387, Anand Vihar at 381, Wazirpur at 362, Burari at 361, and RK Puram at 356.

Big drop in stubble burning incidents

The government reported a major reduction in stubble burning cases in Punjab and Haryana during the recent paddy harvesting season. Compared to 2022, there has been a 90 per cent drop in fire incidents in 2025.

Data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) showed that stubble-burning events in Punjab alone fell from 49,922 in 2022 to 5,114 in 2025. The Centre for Science and Environment also noted that while air pollution remains dangerous, the peak pollution levels were lower this winter due to fewer farm fires.