Showing no signs of relief, Delhi's air quality worsened on Saturday, slipping into the 'very poor' category, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 303 compared to 218 recorded the day before.A thick haze of smog continued to envelop the city despite anti-pollution measures being implemented across the National Capital Region (NCR).
At 8 am, the Anand Vihar monitoring station recorded an AQI of 298, while several other locations reported ‘very poor’ air quality levels.According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city's average Air Quality Index stood at 303 at 4 pm, indicating a sharp decline in air quality.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301–400 very poor, and 401–500 severe, per CPCB norms.Efforts to curb pollution levelsThe worsening air quality follows the post-Diwali spike, typically caused by emissions, stagnant weather, and residual smoke. Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains in effect across Delhi-NCR. Wazirpur reported the highest pollution level in the city with an AQI of 383, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to data on the CPCB's Sameer app.
Out of 38 monitoring stations in the national capital, 26 recorded air quality in the 'very poor' category (above 300), while the remaining stations fell in the 'poor' category (below 300).According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 30.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below the seasonal average, while the minimum settled at 19.4 degrees Celsius, 3.3 notches above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).The humidity level stood at 73 per cent at 5.30 pm.Additionally, the IMD has forecast shallow fog for Sunday morning, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 31 and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively.
To discourage vehicular pollution, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has doubled parking fees at all designated sites. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has banned entry of non-Delhi-registered BS-III and lower commercial goods vehicles from Saturday. Passenger vehicles are currently exempt. Authorities said these measures aim to reduce vehicular emissions, one of the biggest contributors to urban smog.
Cloud seeding suspended after failed trials. Plans to induce artificial rainfall through cloud seeding have been temporarily suspended after trials earlier this week failed to produce rain due to low moisture levels. Officials said further attempts would depend on favourable atmospheric conditions. Residents—particularly children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions—have been advised to limit outdoor exposure as pollution levels remain elevated.
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