The atmosphere over Delhi remained stiflingly thick and choked with pollution on Thursday, as the city’s air quality lingered in the ‘severe’ bracket for a second consecutive day. The sluggish pace of the wind has compounded this issue, causing a heavy fog to settle densely over the capital. Environment Minister Gopal Rai, however, has stated that, for the moment, the authorities will refrain from implementing the third phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP 3).
“For the past two days, we have observed, for the first time this season, that Delhi’s AQI has exceeded 400. Understandably, many are perplexed as to why the AQI, which was positioned in the ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ spectrum since mid-October, has abruptly escalated to a ‘severe’ level. Meteorologists attribute this shift to snowfall in the northern mountains, which has subsequently reduced temperatures in Delhi. Consequently, North India has experienced arid conditions during the early and late hours,” Minister Rai explained.
At 9 a.m. on Thursday, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) had surged to a concerning 428, affirming its classification in the ‘severe’ category. Among the city’s 39 monitoring stations, 32 registered AQI levels exceeding 400, with areas such as Anand Vihar, IGI Airport, Mandir Marg, and Patparganj reporting the highest readings. This episode marks the city’s gravest air quality incident thus far in the season, achieving a national high, with a 24-hour AQI averaging at 418 on Wednesday—a marked increase from Tuesday’s reading of 334.
Though pollution levels remain oppressive, forecasts suggest a potential decline in pollutants by tomorrow, prompting authorities to hold off on invoking GRAP 3 restrictions. “Today, we are reiterating that compliance with the existing rules under GRAP 2 must be rigorously enforced to avert the necessity of implementing GRAP 3. Should pollution once again ascend into the ‘severe’ range, the Delhi administration is prepared to take all requisite measures and collaborate closely with the residents of Delhi to address the situation,” Rai added.
Further compounding the effects of pollution, Delhi’s minimum temperature dipped to a seasonal low of 16.1°C, roughly three degrees above the usual threshold. The pervasive smog has impaired visibility, disrupting some flight operations at Delhi Airport. However, conditions marginally improved by Thursday morning, with visibility levels recorded at approximately 400 meters by 8:30 a.m.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Supreme Court has agreed to expedite a hearing on measures to alleviate the city’s hazardous pollution levels, set to proceed on November 18.
