Delhi braces for prolonged ‘very poor’ air as pollution levels stay high after air quality deteriorated sharply on Sunday, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) back into the “very poor” category following a short period of improvement. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, air quality across the capital is expected to remain unfavourable through much of the coming week as Delhi’s brief respite from heavy smog has ended.

Source: X

AQI Deteriorates Across the Capital

On the morning of January 5th, Delhi’s air quality was measured at about 298, which is considered poor, but unfortunately, the situation got worse, and by 11 a.m, the AQI had climbed to roughly 300, pushing the city back into the very poor air quality category.

Many areas across Delhi are experiencing unhealthy air. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board shows that places like Chandni Chowk, Jahangirpuri, Vivek Vihar, and Anand Vihar all had AQI scores above 300 on Monday. This indicates very poor air quality, which raises worries about the health of people living in these areas. The combination of calmer winds and local pollution sources has led to a quick decline in the city’s air.

Below is a simple overview of AQI readings in some of the worst-affected areas across Delhi:

(Data based on CPCB reports from January 5)

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Early Warning System Forecasts

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi’s air is expected to stay very poor from Monday to Wednesday, and the forecast for the next six days isn’t looking good either, suggesting that the unhealthy air will stick around. This is mainly because the winds are weak, which means pollutants aren’t scattering as they should. Typical winter weather patterns are also contributing by trapping smog close to the ground.

Even though the air quality has dropped back into the very poor zone, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) hasn’t brought back the tougher rules from Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP); however, the rules from Stage-I and Stage-II are still in place.

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Public Health Concerns and Precautions

With increasing pollution levels, health experts are requesting residents, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, to limit outdoor activities and wear protective masks when necessary. Persistent very poor air quality increases the risk of respiratory irritation, reduced lung function, and other health issues, especially in sensitive groups.

As Delhi enters another spell of heavy smog, Delhi braces for prolonged ‘very poor’ air as pollution levels stay high, underscoring the challenge of managing seasonal pollution in the densely populated capital region.

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