Delhi AQI today: Air quality worsens further, dropping to 434. Doctors warn of risks to children. Will schools close?

The air quality in Delhi plummeted to its worst level today, with the AQI falling into the “severe” category. According to Safar data, the AQI in the national capital dropped to 434 at 6 am.

In view of rising pollution, Environment Minister Gopal Rai will hold a review meeting with concerned departmental officials in the Green War Room at the Delhi Secretariat at 11 am today.

According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), various areas in Delhi recorded high AQI levels: Anand Vihar at 473, Alipur at 424, Ashok Vihar at 471, Aya Nagar at 424, Chandni Chowk at 405, IGI Airport T3 at 436, Dwarka Sector 8 at 457, Jahangirpuri at 470, JNS at 412, Narela at 440, Nehru Nagar at 462, Okhla Phase 2 at 441, Patparganj at 472, Punjabi Bagh at 459, Pusa at 408, RK Puram at 457, Rohini at 453, Shadipur at 430, Wazirpur at 467, Sonia Vihar at 448, and Sirifort at 440.

An AQI in the 0-50 range is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.

Will Schools Shut Due to Rising Pollution?

The severe pollution levels have raised concerns about the safety of children. Dr Sahab Ram, a Pediatrician who spoke to the news agency ANI, said that it is a “serious issue” affecting school-going students as there has been an increase in cold and cough cases.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Ram said, “It is a serious issue. There has been an increase in the issues faced by the school-going students. As the weather changes, there has been a rise in the cases of cold and cough. Asthmatic children are suffering acute asthma attacks. It is due to the rise in pollution,” he said.

He added, “We have to pay attention to this, and the government should also think about this because, in matters of health, prevention is better. More attention should be paid to actions that reduce pollution. Masks should be made compulsory for children less than 12 years of age. Those with allergy problems should stay home as much as possible."

However, on November 13, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said that due to stronger winds, the pollutant concentration is expected to show a declining trend from Thursday onwards, and the AQI is likely to move back to the "very poor" category. In a post on X, CAQM said, “After a comprehensive review, the sub-committee decided to closely monitor the situation before implementing Stage-III of GRAP and will reassess the status on Thursday.”

His statement came after the air quality in the national capital dropped to a severe category at 4 pm, with an AQI of 418.

Restrictions to be imposed?

As per the PTI report, if the city's air quality remains in the “severe” category on Thursday, authorities may impose restrictions under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including a ban on construction and demolition activities and plying of BS-all petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles. GRAP is a set of measures implemented to combat air pollution in cities, particularly in Delhi.

According to the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicular emissions contributed to Delhi's worsening pollution on Wednesday, accounting for an estimated 13.3 per cent of the total pollution.

On Wednesday, CPCB data showed that Delhi's annual average levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were 5 per cent and 7 per cent higher, respectively, from January 1 to November 12, compared to the same period last year. During this period, the national capital experienced 116 days with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling into the ‘poor’, ‘very poor’, or ‘severe’ categories. Meanwhile, CPCB data revealed that 201 days had an AQI in the ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’, or ‘moderate’ range.

(With inputs from PTI)