Slight Relief In Delhi’s Air, Yet Pollution Remains Dangerously High Amid Thick Haze

Delhi’s air quality showed a marginal improvement on Thursday, aided by stronger surface winds that helped disperse pollutants, but the city remained in the “very poor” category for the fourth consecutive day.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 305 at 4 pm. Among the city’s 38 monitoring stations, Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 410, while 23 stations registered “very poor” air quality and 14 fell under the “poor” category, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app.

Delhi ranked as the fifth most-polluted city in India, with Bahadurgarh recording an AQI of 325. In contrast, neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) cities including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad reported relatively better air quality, staying in the “poor” range with AQI levels in the 200s.

A haze lingered over the city throughout the day, with wind speeds reaching 10-15 kmph in the afternoon. The Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) forecasts that Delhi’s AQI is likely to remain in the “very poor” category until Saturday, after which it may fluctuate between “poor” and “very poor” over the next six days.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies Air Quality Index (AQI) levels into six categories based on the severity of pollution. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good; 51 to 100 falls under satisfactory. Levels from 101 to 200 are deemed moderate. An AQI of 201 to 300 is classified as poor, whereas 301 to 400 is considered very poor, and values between 401 and 500 fall under the severe category, representing hazardous conditions that can affect everyone.

On Thursday, transport emissions contributed 15.7% of Delhi’s air pollution, while residential sources accounted for 4%, industries within Delhi and neighbouring areas 3.4%, adjacent cities 4–5%, and other sources 35%, according to the Decision Support System (DSS).

Satellite data indicated 69 incidents of stubble burning in Punjab, three in Haryana, and 44 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, further exacerbating air quality in the region.

On the weather front, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 32.2°C, slightly above normal, and a minimum of 18.1°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast mist for Friday morning, with temperatures expected to remain around 32°C during the day and 18°C at night.