POLLUTION

At 354 AQI, Delhi Faces 'Very Poor' Air Quality; Residents Brace for Respiratory Distress Amid Festive Season

Foggy Sunday morning in Delhi on January 2, 2021 (Prem Bisht / BCCL, Delhi) — Foggy Sunday morning in Delhi on January 2, 2021
(Prem Bisht / BCCL, Delhi)

Friday, October 25: Delhi awoke to a dense blanket of smog on Friday morning as air quality sharply declined, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching a concerning 354 by 10 am. Areas such as Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, India Gate, and Jhilmil Industrial Area reported AQI values between 218 and 288, placing them in the 'poor' category. This signals another wave of respiratory issues for Delhi residents, compounded by the onset of winter and upcoming festive celebrations.

The AQI scale, which ranges from 0 to 500, categorises air quality as follows: good (0-50), satisfactory (51-100), moderate (101-200), poor (201-300), very poor (301-400), and severe (401-500). With current levels teetering on the edge of the 'very poor' threshold, residents are already feeling the effects.

Shree Krishna, a visitor at India Gate, expressed his worries, stating, “Pollution has worsened in recent days. You can feel the dust while breathing. Both state and central governments need to ramp up their efforts, and citizens should also contribute by using public transport.”

Local resident Kalyani Tiwari shared similar concerns, highlighting the health repercussions: “I’ve started experiencing headaches and breathing problems due to the pollution. With Chaat Puja and other festivities approaching, the government must act urgently,” she said.

Residents like Rakesh Kumar fear that air quality will deteriorate further as Diwali nears, worsened by firecracker emissions and stubble burning. "If it’s this bad now, I can’t imagine the pollution levels after Diwali," he commented.

In response, the Public Works Department (PWD) has implemented measures like water sprinkling in various city areas, and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has activated Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, these efforts appear inadequate, as the Air Quality Early Warning System predicts continued 'very poor' air quality over the weekend.

As Delhi prepares for festive celebrations, residents are left questioning whether they will ever breathe clean air again.

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