Lethal low: Delhi AQI touches 498, settles at 427; skyline disappears into grey haze

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) A sharp drop in visibility and haze-obscured skyline marked another low for Delhi on Monday as its AQI touched 498 in the morning and settled at 427 by the evening, with air quality in the hazardous "severe" zone.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 27 monitoring stations across the city recorded "severe" air quality, while 12 stations reported "very poor" levels. Wazirpur recorded the worst air quality among the 40 stations, with an AQI of 475.

Notably, CPCB does not register an AQI value beyond 500.

As per the CBCP, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory, 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor", and 401 to 500 "severe".

Data from the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi indicated that PM2.5 concentration stood at 154.96 micrograms per cubic metre, while PM10 levels were recorded at 260.9 micrograms per cubic metre.

PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, while PM10 includes slightly larger particles. India's National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5 is 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

As per the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management in Delhi, transport emerged as the major contributor to pollution at 3.079 per cent, followed by construction activities at 1.732 per cent and stubble burning at 0.218 per cent.

The dense smog affected daily life, with poor visibility and health concerns troubling residents and visitors. A city resident said heavy smog made commuting risky, forcing people to take precautions such as wearing masks.

"Pollution level is very high. I started wearing a mask a few days ago and also got my lungs tested. The government needs to focus on this," the resident said.

Doctors advised people to limit outdoor exposure. Dr Saurabh Mittal, Assistant Professor in the Pulmonology Department at AIIMS, said staying indoors was the primary precaution.

"Children should play inside, and people should wear N95 masks if going out is unavoidable. Those with medical conditions should take their medicines regularly, and elderly people should take vaccines recommended by their doctors to reduce the risk of lung infections," he said.

Tourists also voiced concern over the pollution. Sabina Qureshi, a visitor from Hyderabad, said the difference was stark.

"In Hyderabad, we can see the sun and the sky, but here it's all smoke and smog. Children are facing breathing problems," she said.

Another tourist from Karnataka said the pollution was causing inconvenience during his visit, adding that such conditions were not seen elsewhere.

Delhi's air quality had worsened a day earlier, with the AQI touching 461 on Sunday, marking the city's most polluted day this winter and the second-worst December reading on record. The monitoring station at Wazirpur recorded the maximum possible AQI value of 500 during the day, beyond which the CPCB does not register data, as weak winds and low temperatures trapped pollutants near the surface.

Forecasts indicated air quality in the "severe" category, while the outlook for the next six days pointed to "very poor" conditions, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the average wind speed, which stayed below 10 kmph, was unfavourable for the dispersion of pollutants.

On the weather front, the minimum temperature was recorded at 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum at 23.7 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. Relative humidity stood at 76 per cent at 5.30 pm.

The weather department has forecast dense fog for Tuesday morning, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to settle at 23 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, respectively. PTI SHB PRK PRK