New Delhi: Delhi residents woke up and found the air quality extremely poor on Friday morning. Thick smog covered the national capital, and cold weather further deteriorated the situation. Air Quality Index (AQI) of some areas of the city touched above 450, which is a “severe-plus” category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The current situation is likely to continue till next week.
The CPCB categorises AQI as follows: Good (0-50), satisfactory (51-100), moderate (101-200), poor (201-300), very poor (301-400), severe (401-450), severe plus (above 450).
The main pollutant was PM2.5, fine particles that are small enough to enter the lungs and cause serious health risks. On Thursday, 32 out of 35 monitoring stations in the city recorded air quality in the “severe-plus” category, with some areas reaching AQI levels as high as 470.
Delhi is currently under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes the strictest anti-pollution measures. These include a complete ban on construction activities and restricting the entry of nonessential polluting vehicles into the city.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a yellow alert, warning of dense fog in some areas on Friday. Experts have advised Delhiites to limit outdoor activities, especially for children and senior citizens, due to poor air quality, which can infect anyone.
