15 AQI stations maxed out in Delhi

This was on a day that the average AQI of Delhi as a whole hit 494 — the city’s second highest AQI since 2015, when records began

There are 40 ambient air quality monitoring stations scattered across Delhi, which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) uses to share data about air quality in the Capital. On Monday, 15 of these stations recorded an average air quality index (AQI) reading of 500 — the threshold beyond which the pollution body does not measure AQI.

High smog levels near the Akshardham Temple on Monday afternoon. (Raj K Raj /HT PHOTO)

This was on a day that the average AQI of Delhi as a whole hit 494 — the city’s second highest AQI since 2015, when records began.

Experts said the 500-mark is the upper limit at air quality stations, which means that the actual pollution levels on Monday were possibly much worse.

“This shows how toxic the air is, that even the monitors are maxing out. To reach a value of 500, it shows there is significant exposure, which can be harmful even to healthy people, let alone vulnerable groups like the elderly, children or those with respiratory illnesses,” said Sunil Dahiya, lead analyst at the think tank Envirocatalysts.

Another measure of how polluted Delhi was on Monday was its PM 2.5 levels — the Capital’s hourly load crossed 900 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) at multiple stations, which is more than 15 times the 24-hour national standard of 60µg/m3.

CPCB’s website showed the PM 2.5 levels touched a peak of 1,193µg/m3 in Mundka at 1pm. Other locations that recorded a high PM 2.5 load included Vivek Vihar (998µg/m3 at 12 pm), Punjabi Bagh (995µg/m3 at 12pm), North Campus (956µg/m3 at 12pm), Dwarka (929µg/m3 at 11am), and Rohini (914µg/m3 at 11 am).

High pollution levels across Capital

The AQI stations that touched the 500-mark at different times of the day were spread across the city. These were Wazirpur, Rohini, and Bawana in the northwest; North Campus, Ashok Vihar and Jahangirpuri in the north; Major Dhyanchand in Central Delhi; Patparganj in the east; Nehru Nagar in the southeast; Sirifort and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in the south; Najafgarh and Dwarka Sector 8 in the southwest; and Punjabi Bagh and Mundka in west Delhi.

The reading at a 16th station stopped just short of the threshold. The Mandir Marg station in central Delhi touched a maximum value of 499.

Of the 15 stations that recorded an AQI of 500, eight were among the 13 pollution hot spots identified by CPCB and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in 2018 — Mundka, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Bawana, Ashok Vihar, and Dwarka.

Dahiya said this shows localised action is crucial. “We need to ensure our local pollution sources are tackled, and until that happens, these locations will continue to regard high levels, regardless of the background emissions,” he said.

Residents suffer

Delhi residents said that venturing out of their homes on Monday was akin to torture, with their eyes watering and throat itching. The air inside wasn’t much better either, leaving people gasping for breath.

“The situation is much worse than what data shows. People in Dwarka are not able to breathe properly,” said Rejimon CK, founder of the Dwarka Forum.

Avdhesh Kumar, joint proctor at Delhi University, said he faced difficulties in driving his car as visibility remained fairly low. He also faced difficulty breathing. “The air had a pungent smell and it was hard to breathe. My throat was dry and itching all day,” he said.

Monica Bhattacharya, 54, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase 3, said she uses an air purifier at her house, but outside there is no other option but to use a mask. “One cannot use air purifiers all the time. I had a train to catch for Kolkata and my eyes were watering,” she said.

Dr HC Gupta, the president of the Federation of Ashok Vihar RWAs, said there was a noticeable increase in the number of patients coming to him with respiratory problems.

“Ashok Vihar is situated right next to the Wazirpur Industrial Area, which is a significant source of local pollution. Waste is also being burnt, further making it harder for people to breathe – both inside and outside the home,” he said.