The air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the 'very poor' category on Monday, as a thick haze blanketed Delhi through the morning and afternoon, significantly reducing visibility. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 301 at 4 pm.
Anand Vihar most polluted area with 395 AQI
The CPCB's Sameer app, which provides hourly AQI updates, showed that by 6 pm, 22 out of 38 monitoring stations across Delhi recorded 'very poor' air quality. Anand Vihar emerged as the most polluted area with an AQI of 395, followed by Wazirpur at 385. No station, however, reported a 'severe' level of pollution.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a maximum temperature of 29.5 degrees Celsius, which is 1.3 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature was 17.3 degrees Celsius, marginally above average. Humidity levels ranged between 94 per cent and 58 per cent during the day.
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, transport accounted for 13.7 per cent of the city's pollution, while neighbouring NCR regions such as Ghaziabad contributed 10.6 per cent, Meerut 4.8 per cent, and Delhi's local emissions 3.6 per cent. Other sources contributed nearly 20 per cent to the pollution load.
Satellite data from October 26 showed 122 stubble-burning incidents in Punjab, eight in Haryana, and 186 in Uttar Pradesh.
IMD predicts light rain on Tuesday
For Tuesday, the IMD has forecast a partly cloudy sky with mist or haze in the morning and the possibility of very light rain or drizzle at isolated places. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 29 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Health experts have urged residents to limit outdoor exposure during peak pollution hours — early morning and late evening.
"Winter air becomes denser, trapping pollutants that irritate the respiratory tract and worsen conditions like asthma and allergies," said Dr Hinal Shah, Consultant Biochemist at Agilus Diagnostics. He recommended the use of N95 masks and HEPA air purifiers to reduce health risks.
(With PTI inputs)
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