The AQI in Delhi dropped to ‘very poor’ category by Monday evening due to low winds and continued to be at the same level on Tuesday morning.

After marginal improvement on Monday morning, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi dropped to ‘very poor’ category by the evening due to slow winds and continued to be at the same level on Tuesday morning, with most monitoring stations recording AQI between 300 and 440.

According to the SAMEER app, which offers hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index, the overall AQI at around 6:30 am on Tuesday, November 26, stood at 396. However, several monitoring stations reported an AQI of over 400 – the ‘severe’ category.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorises AQI as follows — 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), 401-450 (severe) and above 450 (severe plus).

Delhi air pollution | Key points

• AQI in Delhi today: Of the 38 air quality-monitoring stations in Delhi, 18 reported AQI of over 400 or the ‘severe’ category at 6:30 am on Tuesday. These stations included: Anand Vihar (432), Ashok Vihar (420), Mundka (443), Rohini (432), and Vivek Vihar (432) among others.
• Short-lived relief: On Monday, the AQI in Delhi improved marginally, with the pollution level going below the 300-mark on Monday morning. Moreover, there was finally some green in Delhi, with the Lodhi Road (IITM) monitoring station logging an AQI of 95, what the CPCB categorises as the ‘satisfactory’ level.
• AQI levels plummet due to low winds: Thanks to low winds, the AQI that improved to 218 by 9 am on Monday rose to 377 at 7 pm. Seven of the 38 air quality-monitoring stations in Delhi reported AQI levels in the “severe” category at 5:30 pm, with the number rising to 14 at 7 pm.
• What’s causing the pollution in Delhi: The Centre’s Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management estimated that vehicular emissions contributed 16.4 per cent to Delhi’s pollution on Monday. Stubble burning, another major factor, accounted for 11 per cent of the capital’s pollution on Sunday. Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist, told news agency PTI that the AQI rose due to a combination of stagnant winds that have a speed of less than 10 kilometres per hour and dropping temperatures that trap pollutants close to the ground.
• Consider Physical classes in schools, says SC: Despite Delhi’s air quality not making significant consistent improvement, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider restarting physical classes in schools and colleges in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the means to attend virtual classes.

Also Read: Consider restarting physical classes in Delhi NCR schools, colleges: SC to air quality panel

• Schools allowed hybrid classes: Following the Supreme Court hearing, the CAQM on Monday announced relaxations under the GRAP and eased Clause 11 of Stage-III and Clauses 5 and 8 of Stage-IV, allowing educational institutions to operate classes in a “hybrid” format and students to attend either in person or online. The option for online education, wherever feasible, will be made available to students and their guardians in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida).
• SC raps Delhi govt over GRAP 4 curbs: Last Sunday, November 17, the air quality in Delhi reached hazardous levels, with AQI surpassing 450 for the first time this season, prompting the implementation of GRAP 4, which the Supreme Court on Monday said is not being done properly by the city government. The GRAP Stage 4 encompasses an 8-point action plan, including banning the entry of non-essential truck traffic into Delhi, except for trucks carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.
• Delhi weather forecast: On Monday, the daytime temperature was recorded at 25.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notches below the seasonal average, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which predicted forecast moderate fog for Tuesday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 26 degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius respectively.

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