Delhi’s Air Quality Breaches 400 Mark Entering ‘Severe’ Category, Smog Engulfs Delhi-NCR

Air Quality Index in Delhi crossed the 400 mark on Wednesday, securing a place in “Severe” category. Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad were in the 'Poor' category. While Faridabad's AQI, at 188, was 'Moderate'.

As a result, a thick layer of smog blanketed Delhi and surrounding regions of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad. This further led to a poor visibility because of the transition of the AQI to 'Severe' category from 'Very Poor' category which was the norm for the past two weeks in Delhi.

To check the rising levels of pollution in the national capital, the Government of India continues to enforce the second stage of Graded Response Action Plan. GRAP 2 recommends mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads. Besides, other measures like implementation of dust control measures at construction and demolition sites are also a part of the plan.

The Central Pollution Control Board of India, a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, published Air Quality Index recently. The data indicates concerning AQI numbers all over the Indo-Gangetic Plains with three Bihar cities, two Haryana cities and Chandigarh listed among the top 10 polluted places in the country.

Read More: Air Pollution in Delhi: What is the Government's Game Plan to Address Rising AQI?

Restrictions under the first stage of Graded Response Action Plan came into effect in the national capital on October 15 as the air quality continued to stay in the 'Poor' category for the third consecutive day after the air quality numbers dipped suddenly on October 13.

Constituted by Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas, the stage 1 of the GRAP, a set of winter-specific anti-pollution measures, focuses on controlling pollution through dust mitigation at construction sites, proper waste management, and regular road cleaning. It mandates strict checks on polluting vehicles, better traffic management and emission controls in industries, power plants and brick kilns. GRAP Stage 1 also bans the open burning of waste, limits the use of diesel generators and prohibits the use of coal or firewood in eateries.

It's just not India that is suffering from air pollution, but also its neighbour, Pakistan which is witnessing averse conditions. As per IQAir's data, Pakistan is grappling with alarming AQI numbers. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has recently raised concerns about the health risks to 11 million children in Pakistan's Eastern Punjab province because of rising air pollution.

Air quality Index is considered "Good" if it ranges between 0–50, 'Satisfactory' between 51 and 100, 'Moderate’ 101 and 200, 'Poor' between 201 and 300, 'Very Poor' between 301 and 400, 'Severe' between  401 and 450, and 'Severe Plus' above 450.