Delhi: Sharp rise in air pollution, Punjabi Bagh worst affected shows HT data

Air pollution in Delhi was off the charts on Tuesday, a Hindustan Times air-quality monitoring system showed, indicating that the peak pollution season in the city has begun.

Air pollution in Delhi was off the charts on Tuesday, a Hindustan Times air-quality monitoring system showed, indicating that the peak pollution season in the city has begun.

The worst air quality was reported from west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh – where the air quality index (AQI) was 500, the maximum possible rating of “severe”. (Raj K Raj/ HT Photo)

The worst air quality was reported from west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh – where the air quality index (AQI) was 500, the maximum possible rating of “severe” – followed by Anand Vihar in east Delhi that displayed an AQI of 467 and an identical rating.

Air quality is rated by AQI within a range of 0 (good) to 500 (severe). Only one of 10 spots in Delhi where HT’s monitoring system is installed reported “satisfactory” air quality – east Arjun Nagar with 91.

Delhi’s air is considered the worst in the world that gets worse in the winter months because of a combination of no rainfall, lower wind speeds and crop burning in the national capital region and neighbouring states.

Take a look at our real-time air quality map to see the latest pollution levels in different parts of the country.