The national capital continued to gasp for breath on Saturday, December 27, 2025, as its air quality remained entrenched in the hazardous 'very poor' to 'severe' categories. Data from monitoring agencies painted a grim picture, with pollutant levels soaring to multiples of the safe limits prescribed by global health bodies.
Conflicting Readings Highlight Severe Pollution
Official readings from the Centre-run Early Warning System (EWS) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 356 at 11:15 am, placing it in the 'very poor' bracket. However, data from the private monitoring platform aqi.in was far more alarming, showing an AQI of 447, which falls into the 'severe+' category. Experts attributed this variation to differences in monitoring methods, device locations, and the averaging mechanisms used by various agencies.
Despite the hazardous levels, there was a marginal improvement from the previous day, Friday, when the AQI had reportedly touched a staggering 633 during peak hours, according to aqi.in. Visuals from the AIIMS area in the morning showed the city shrouded in a thick layer of smog, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) claiming an AQI of 270 ('Poor') around that location at 7:10 am.
Alarming Pollutant Levels and Health Impact
The concentration of deadly particulate matter told the real story. Levels of PM2.5—fine, inhalable particles that pose the greatest health risk—were recorded at around 299 micrograms per cubic metre. The coarser PM10 particles were at 400 micrograms per cubic metre.
To put this in perspective, the World Health Organization's safe 24-hour exposure limit for PM2.5 is 15 micrograms per cubic metre, and 45 micrograms for PM10. Delhi's levels exceeded these limits by nearly 20 times and 9 times, respectively.
An estimate by aqi.in framed the health risk in stark terms: breathing Delhi's air under these conditions is equivalent to smoking about 13.6 cigarettes a day. This analogy is often used to communicate the severe health risks to the public.
Political Fallout and AQI Scale Explained
The persistent pollution crisis has ignited sharp political attacks, with opposition parties targeting the Delhi government over its air quality management strategies. The issue is expected to be a key topic in the upcoming four-day winter session of the Delhi Assembly, scheduled from January 5 to 8, 2025.
For citizens, understanding the AQI scale is crucial. Under India's system:
- 0-50: Good with minimal health impact.
- 51-100: Satisfactory, may cause minor discomfort to sensitive people.
- 101-200: Moderate, can discomfort those with lung or heart ailments.
- 201-300: Poor.
- 301-400: Very Poor.
- Above 400: Severe, affects healthy people and triggers respiratory illness.
The week has seen wild fluctuations, with the AQI crossing the 600-mark on December 23, touching 634, before dropping to 263 on Christmas Day, offering a brief respite in the 'poor' category. However, the reprieve was short-lived as toxic smog enveloped the city once again, underscoring the chronic nature of Delhi's winter air pollution emergency.
