Delhi woke up to ‘severe’ air quality on November 14, following the worst AQI of the season on November 13. Dense smog reduced visibility, with the central pollution watchdog citing “unprecedentedly dense” fog as the cause of the deterioration.
Aya Nagar, Ashok Vihar, and Wazirpur are some of the areas that recorded the worst air quality in Delhi. The air quality crosses over 400, which falls under the severe category.
The CAQM decided not to enforce Stage 3 of GRAP, which would halt primary school classes and ban construction activities.
Data from the CPCB showed that the AQI, which averaged 418 at 4pm, worsened to 436 (in the “severe” category) by 6pm and escalated to 454 (reaching “severe plus”) by 9pm on Wednesday.
Notably, Stage 4 of GRAP triggers when the 24-hour average AQI exceeds the “severe plus” threshold, based on CPCB’s 4 pm daily bulletin. Currently, authorities continue Stage 2 of GRAP, which began on October 22.
Stage 3 of Grap, typically introduced on “severe” air quality days, enforces a ban on construction and demolition, allows states to suspend in-person classes for students up to Class 5, and stresses the need for enhanced public transportation.
Delhi’s 24-hour AQI
Delhi’s 24-hour AQI, recorded at 4pm every day, stood at 418, up from 334 the previous day.
“After a comprehensive review, the sub-committee decided to closely monitor the situation before implementing Stage-3 of GRAP and will reassess the status on Thursday,” the CAQM said in a post on X.
In another post on the microblogging platform, the CAQM said its sub-committee noted the steep rise in Delhi’s AQI owing to this “episodic event” since morning.
On Wednesday, the national capital experienced its first dense fog and lowest daytime temperature of the season, trapping pollutants.
The maximum temperature in Delhi (Safdarjung) dropped from 32.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday to 27.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
Of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi, 30 recorded the air quality in the “severe” category, the CPCB said.
According to the CPCB, Delhi’s AQI was in the severe category for three days in January.
If air quality stays “severe” on Thursday, authorities may enforce Stage 3 of GRAP, banning construction and BS-III petrol/BS-IV diesel vehicles.
