Twelve of Delhi’s 40 air quality monitoring stations recorded Air Quality Index readings above 400 on Sunday evening, placing them in the “severe” category, according to data from the Sameer application at 7.05 pm.
The city’s average AQI stood at 374, categorised as “very poor”, showed the application, which provides hourly updates from the Central Pollution Control Board.
Intense air pollution and dense smog reduced visibility across the capital, disrupting air and rail travel. At least 97 flights were cancelled at Delhi airport and more than 200 were delayed, the Hindustan Times reported.
More than 50 Northern Railway trains were also running late due to poor visibility caused by smog and foggy conditions.
An index value between 301 and 400 indicates “very poor” air. Between 401 and 450 indicates “severe” air pollution, while anything above the 450 threshold is termed “severe plus”.
An AQI in the “severe” and “severe plus” category signifies hazardous pollution levels that can pose serious risks even to healthy individuals.
The cities adjoining the capital also reported “very poor” air quality on Sunday, with Noida recording an AQI of 329, Ghaziabad 364, Greater Noida 329 and Gurugram 328.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said air quality is likely to remain in the “severe” category until Monday and is expected to improve slightly to the “very poor” category by Tuesday, the Hindustan Times reported.
Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region are under Stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan to curb pollution. The restrictions came into force on December 13 after the air quality slipped into the “severe plus” category.
GRAP is a set of incremental anti-pollution measures that are triggered to prevent further worsening of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
This was the first time this season that Stage 4 restrictions, triggered when the AQI breaches the 450 mark, were enforced in Delhi-NCR.
The curbs include a ban on the entry of trucks into the region, a halt on construction activities for public and private projects, and a shift to hybrid mode for schools, except Class 10 and Class 12.
Air quality deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, which is often ranked the world’s most polluted capital. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicular pollution, along with the lighting of firecrackers during Diwali, falling temperatures, decreased wind speeds and emissions from industries and coal-fired plants contribute to the problem.
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