Delhi and the neighboring regions woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Saturday morning, with air quality touching dangerously close to the ‘severe’ level. The air quality, as reflected by the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality indices, was reported to be 390 at 8 am, which falls under the ‘very poor’ category.
Although the overall AQI is still short of the "severe" category, some areas around the national capital are still posting pollution within the highest category.
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Few regions experience 'severe' AQIs
As per CPCB, “severe” air quality conditions existed in more than one place in Delhi. Anand Vihar, Ghazipur, with an air quality value of 435, and Jahangirpuri’s 442 were marked as “severe.” Other spots that experienced “severe” air are Burari Crossing (415), Chandni Chowk (419), R.K. Puram (404), and Rohini (436).
The early morning hours witnessed a mixture of smog and shallow fog in various parts of the city, thus affecting visibility. The CPCB has divided AQI (Air Quality Index) categories into ‘good’ (0-50), ‘satisfactory’ (51-100), ‘moderate’ (101-200), ‘poor’ (201-300), ‘very poor’ (301-400), ‘severe’ (401-500), signifying
Health risks increase with length of exposure
The alarming level of pollution has started becoming a regular phenomenon in Delhi during the winters. The overall AQI on Saturday is reported to be ‘very poor,’ which is a serious threat to people’s health when they are exposed to such conditions for a prolonged period of time. Even healthy people can feel miserable on account of air pollution, let alone those who are vulnerable.
Delhi airport issues advisory due to poor visibility
Despite low visibility, Delhi Airport released a notification that flight operations were going on as usual. In a post on X, Delhi Airport stated, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”
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Smog remains even with slight changes
Delhi's AQI on Friday had been similar, with a reading of 386. Dense haze has been observed in pollution pockets such as Ghazipur and Anand Vihar, where visibility is still impacted. Despite some marginal changes in air quality, a significant part of the capital has continued to remain under a blanket of dense smog.
