Delhi Air Quality Dips To ‘Very Poor’ as Weak Winds Trap Pollutants; AQI At 366

Delhi’s air quality worsened on Sunday as calm wind conditions hindered the dispersion of pollutants, pushing the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) to 366, categorised as “very poor”, PTI reported. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that three monitoring stations in the city recorded readings above 400, falling into the “severe” range.

The CPCB data indicated that the concentration of PM2.5, fine inhalable particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometres or smaller, stood at 189.6 micrograms per cubic metre, while PM10, which includes slightly larger particles up to 10 micrometres, was measured at 316. At these levels, such pollutants can cause breathing discomfort, especially for people with respiratory or cardiac conditions, children, and the elderly.

The overall AQI marked a sharp rise from Saturday’s reading of 303, PTI reported.

Neighbouring cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) also recorded “very poor” air quality, with Ghaziabad at 351, Gurugram at 357, Noida at 348 and Greater Noida at 340. Faridabad reported relatively better air quality with an AQI of 215, placing it in the “poor” category.

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) for Delhi, the wind speed dropped below 8 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night hours, reducing pollutant dispersion. The AQEWS noted that wind speeds below 10 kmph and a ventilation index under 6,000 m²/s are unfavourable for dispersing pollutants.

The air quality is expected to remain in the “very poor” category until November 4, the system projected.

Among city stations, Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 413, while two other stations also reported “severe” readings above 400. Another 28 locations across the city registered “very poor” air quality with readings exceeding 300, as per CPCB’s Sameer app.

As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as “good”, 51–100 as “satisfactory”, 101–200 as “moderate”, 201–300 as “poor”, 301–400 as “very poor”, and 401–500 as “severe”.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi’s maximum temperature was recorded at 30.7 degrees Celsius, 0.5 degrees below the seasonal average, while the minimum settled at 16.8 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees above normal. The humidity stood at 75 per cent at 5.30 p.m.

The weather office has predicted shallow fog on Monday, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 30 and 15 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, a ban on the entry of commercial goods vehicles not registered in Delhi and not compliant with BS-III or lower emission standards has been in effect in the national capital since November 1.

(With inputs from PTI)