Delhi air turns ‘very poor’ after witnessing slight improvement | Check AQI here

The area which recorded the lowest AQI in Delhi was Najafgarh at 164, making the air quality there ‘moderate’.

After witnessing slight improvement for a couple of days, the air quality in the national capital turned ‘very poor’, with some areas reaching the ‘severe’ category on Sunday morning.

People walk amid smog as the air quality in Delhi worsens. (File/ANI)

On Friday and Saturday, Delhi recorded an AQI of 275 and 292 respectively, putting the air quality in ‘poor’ category, days after pollution spiked during Diwali.

However, on Sunday morning, Delhi woke up to a thick layer of smog and AQI well above 300 in most areas. Visuals show that visibility was affected in several parts of the national capital due to the pollution as people stepped out of their homes for morning walks and office commute.

The area which recorded the lowest AQI was Najafgarh at 164, making the air quality there ‘moderate’. This was followed by Sri Aurobindo Marg with an AQI of 176.

Data from 39 stations across Delhi show that only seven fell under the ‘poor’ category and a majority of 26 stations reported ‘very poor’ air quality with AQI between 301-400. The latter includes areas such as Alipur, ITO, Jahangirpuri, Rohini among others.

What does AQI mean- According to CPCB, an AQI of 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 is considered ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 is considered ‘moderate’, 201-300 is considered ‘poor’, 301-400 is considered ‘very poor’, and 401-500 is considered ‘severe’.

Health implications of air pollution- Warning the people of Delhi about the health implications of the deteriorating air quality, former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria urged people to use preventive measures to minimise exposure to polluted air.

"The current high levels of air pollution, indicated by poor AQI, are leading to acute health effects, particularly among individuals with underlying heart or lung conditions, the elderly, and young children. These groups are experiencing increased chest discomfort, breathing difficulty, cough, and worsening of pre-existing conditions like asthma and COPD," Dr Guleria told news agency ANI on Friday.

"Even healthy individuals are reporting symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, throat pain, chest tightness, and coughing. The inflammation and narrowing of airways caused by pollutants are contributing to these issues. Additionally, the use of crackers, despite permissions for 'green crackers,' has exacerbated air pollution," he added.

Check AQI recorded in Delhi stations as of 7 am -

Alipur, Delhi (DPCC) - 309.00

Anand Vihar, Delhi (DPCC) - 430.00

Ashok Vihar, Delhi (DPCC) - 369.00

Aya Nagar, Delhi (IMD) - 272.00

Bawana, Delhi (DPCC) - 390.00

Burari Crossing, Delhi (IMD) - 344.00

CRRI Mathura Road, Delhi (IMD) - 330.00

Chandni Chowk, Delhi (IITM) - 376.00

DTU, Delhi (CPCB) - 266.00

Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Delhi (DPCC) - 317.00

Dwarka-Sector 8, Delhi (DPCC) - 301.00

IGI Airport (T3), Delhi (IMD) - 269.00

IHBAS, Dilshad Garden, Delhi (CPCB) - 310.00

ITO, Delhi (CPCB) - 329.00

Jahangirpuri, Delhi (DPCC) - 370.00

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi (DPCC) - 304.00

Lodhi Road, Delhi (IITM) - 283.00

Lodhi Road, Delhi (IMD) - 290.00

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi (DPCC) - 306.00

Mandir Marg, Delhi (DPCC) - 312.00

Mundka, Delhi (DPCC) - 356.00

NSIT Dwarka, Delhi (CPCB) - 285.00

Najafgarh, Delhi (DPCC) - 164.00

Narela, Delhi (DPCC) - 338.00

Nehru Nagar, Delhi (DPCC) - 339.00

North Campus, DU, Delhi (IMD) - 321.00

Okhla Phase-2, Delhi (DPCC) - 324.00

Patparganj, Delhi (DPCC) - 339.00

Punjabi Bagh, Delhi (DPCC) - 353.00

Pusa, Delhi (DPCC) - 314.00

Pusa, Delhi (IMD) - 309.00

R K Puram, Delhi (DPCC) - 324.00

Rohini, Delhi (DPCC) - 362.00

Shadipur, Delhi (CPCB) - 334.00

Sirifort, Delhi (CPCB) - 322.00

Sonia Vihar, Delhi (DPCC) - 330.00

Sri Aurobindo Marg, Delhi (DPCC) - 176.00

Vivek Vihar, Delhi (DPCC) - 371.00

Wazirpur, Delhi (DPCC) - 403.00