Delhi AQI drops to severe category – Check area-wise pollution surge

The air quality in Delhi worsened over the weekend, slipping past the 400 mark to fall well into the “severe” category. A toxic haze lingered over the city as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 391 by 7 am on Sunday morning. The Delhi-NCR region is yet to impose GRAP III measures despite a Supreme Court order that made the curbs mandatory from last year.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data on Sunday morning showed multiple Delhi neighbourhoods with AQI well into the severe level. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 412, Alipur reported 415, and Bawana registered the highest level at 436. Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 409, while RK Puram and Patparganj logged 422 and 425, respectively. Sonia Vihar also recorded a “severe” AQI of 415, indicating hazardous air conditions across the city.

An AQI between 301 and 400 is considered “very poor” with the potential to cause “respiratory illness on prolonged exposure”. The final level of the Air Quality Index is the severe category, ranging from 401 to 500. At this point, the air quality can “affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases”.

Delhi AQI at 9 am today

As of 9 am today, cities with moderate air quality included Jaipur (188) and Lucknow (189), while Ahmedabad (135), Bengaluru (129), and Chennai (106) also fell under the moderate category. Hyderabad (95) and Pune (97) were classified as satisfactory, while Mumbai (119) and Patna (150) recorded moderate air quality levels.

It is to be noted that according to the CPCB classification, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.

Delhi-NCR AQI on November 8: Area-wise list

Air quality levels and possible health impact

According to CPCB, “Good” air indicates minimal or no health impact and poses little risk to anyone. When the air quality is “Satisfactory,” it may cause minor breathing discomfort to sensitive individuals such as children, the elderly, or those with pre-existing respiratory issues. 

A “Moderate” air quality level can lead to breathing discomfort among people with lung diseases, asthma, or heart conditions. As the air quality worsens to the “Poor” category, most people may experience discomfort after prolonged exposure. 

In the “Very Poor” range, long-term exposure can trigger respiratory illnesses even in otherwise healthy individuals. At the most critical level, “Severe,” air pollution affects healthy people and poses serious health risks to those with existing diseases.