Delhi Chokes as Air Quality Plummets to Dangerous Levels
Residents of India's capital are grappling with increasingly hazardous air conditions as pollution levels surged past the 400 mark across several parts of Delhi on Saturday. The alarming spike has positioned Delhi as one of the most polluted cities in the country, with air quality consistently deteriorating since Diwali celebrations.
Critical Pollution Levels Recorded Across Delhi
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the 24-hour average Air Quality Index recorded at 4 pm on Saturday stood at 361, placing Delhi firmly in the 'very poor' red zone and making it the second most polluted city nationally. The situation appeared even more dire at individual monitoring stations, where readings entered the 'severe' category.
The CPCB's Sameer app data collected from 38 monitoring stations revealed particularly concerning numbers: Alipur at 404, ITO at 402, Nehru Nagar at 406, Vivek Vihar at 411, Wazirpur at 420, and Burari at 418. These measurements indicate a public health emergency unfolding across the national capital region.
Regional Impact and Primary Pollutants
The pollution crisis extends beyond Delhi's boundaries, affecting the entire National Capital Region. Neighboring areas recorded similarly worrying readings, with Noida at 354, Greater Noida at 336, and Ghaziabad at 339 - all categorized as 'very poor' according to CPCB standards.
Environmental authorities identified PM2.5 and PM10 particles as the dominant pollutants responsible for the hazardous conditions on Saturday. These fine particulate matters pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into lungs and bloodstream.
Root Causes and Future Projections
The Decision Support System for air quality forecasting revealed that stubble burning contributed approximately 30% to Delhi's pollution on Sunday, while the transport sector accounted for 15.2%. Satellite imagery confirmed widespread agricultural burning in neighboring states, documenting 100 incidents in Punjab, 18 in Haryana, and 164 in Uttar Pradesh on Friday alone.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has issued a grim forecast, predicting that the city's air quality will remain in the 'very poor' category for the coming days. This continues the troubling pattern observed since Diwali, where air quality has consistently registered as 'poor' or 'very poor', with occasional dips into the 'severe' zone.
According to the CPCB classification scale that guides public health advisories:
- 0-50: Good
- 51-100: Satisfactory
- 101-200: Moderate
- 201-300: Poor
- 301-400: Very Poor
- 401-500: Severe
The current situation represents one of the worst air quality crises Delhi has faced this season, prompting urgent calls for coordinated action between state governments and heightened public awareness about protective measures.
