Delhi AQI highlights: Capital chokes under ‘severe plus’ air, two stations record 500 AQI

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Delhi AQI live updates: "We are finding solutions to Delhi's pollution problem while living and working in Delhi. We are not like those who leave Delhi to its fate and run away every six months to do vipassana," the chief minister said.

"My Delhi, my responsibility -- we are working with this spirit. The problem is here, the solution will also be found here in Delhi...," she said.

Delhi AQI live updates: In a letter to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, the Commission discussed its concern that "some schools and institutions in Delhi-NCR were still holding outdoor sports activities" despite earlier directions issued in line with a Supreme Court order dated November 19.

The CAQM said it is "contrary to the spirit and intent of the apex court's observations and the Commission's instructions".

The Commission had in a letter dated November 19 called for the "postponement of physical sports competitions scheduled during November and December".

Delhi AQI live updates: On Saturday, Delhi's Wazipur and Rohini recorded the highest AQI of 500, according to Sameer app. Ashok Vihar is at 499, with Anand Vihar at 492 and Bawana at 489.

Shadipur recorded the lowest AQI with 370.

Delhi AQI live updates: “Younger children and the elderly are the worst affected because of this pollution... It is very important for everybody to stay at home to the extent possible... A special advisory for people who have asthma or heart disease or who are elderly is that these people should not go for early morning walks when the smog is there... If they want to go for a walk, they should use an N95 or N99 mask,” said Dr Khilnani.

Delhi AQI live updates: “This pollution problem in our country and especially in North India, has been there for many decades. There are two types of components in pollution. One is gases like nitrogen oxide gas, which is harmful, and the second is particulate matter. When these particles circulate in the body, they inflame the arteries of the body. This is the season where there are a lot of viruses,” Dr Atul Mathur, Interventional Cardiologist and Executive Director at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute told ANI

Delhi AQI live updates: CAQM stressed the need for stronger on-ground measures, including regular mechanical sweeping, timely disposal of collected dust, proper upkeep of road shoulders and central verges, and wider use of water sprinkling and dust-suppression systems.

It also called for targeted action to curb open burning of waste across all stretches maintained by the DDA.

Delhi AQI live updates: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed Delhi and NCR state governments to ensure the immediate suspension of all outdoor physical sports activities, warning that continued conduct of such events amid poor air quality poses a "serious health risk to children".

In a letter to the chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, the Commission said it was concerned that "some schools and institutions in Delhi-NCR were still holding outdoor sports activities" despite earlier directions issued in line with a Supreme Court order dated November 19.

The CAQM said continuation of outdoor physical activities during periods of adverse air quality is "contrary to the spirit and intent of the apex court's observations and the Commission's instructions". (PTI)

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi's Rohini recorded the highest AQI as of 2 pm at 499, while the lowest AQI was recorded at 375 at Shadipur, according to CPCB's data.

Out of 39 stations, only Shadipur's reading was below the 400 mark.

Here is the list of Delhi AQI recorded at all 39 stations at 2 pm-

Alipur – 428

Anand Vihar – 492

Ashok Vihar – 493

Aya Nagar – 440

Bawana – 489

Burari Crossing – 462

CRRI Mathura Road – 445

Chandni Chowk – 443

DTU – 484

Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range – 475

Dwarka Sector 8 – 452

IGI Airport (T3) – 403

IHBAS, Dilshad Garden – 485

IIT Delhi – 417

ITO – 477

Jahangirpuri – 494

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – 461

Lodhi Road – 401

Lodhi Road – Insufficient data

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium – 448

Mandir Marg – 411

Mundka – 484

NSIT Dwarka – 410

Najafgarh – 406

Narela – 476

Nehru Nagar – 480

North Campus, DU – 480

Okhla Phase-2 – 478

Patparganj – 478

Punjabi Bagh – 465

Pusa – 434

Pusa – 445

R K Puram – 471

Rohini – 499

Shadipur – 375

Sirifort – 475

Sonia Vihar – 483

Sri Aurobindo Marg – 421

Vivek Vihar – 496

Wazirpur – 493

Delhi AQI live updates: According to Central Pollution Control Board's data, Delhi's overall AQI stood at 458 as of 2 pm on December 14, putting the national capital's air in ‘severe category’.

Delhi AQI live updates: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday criticised Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over the worsening air quality in the national capital, stating that she is unaware of the Air Quality Index (AQI) and its parameters, adding that she must leave the pollution problem for the experts to deal with.

Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj said, "This government has been in power for almost a year. Nowhere in this country are there incidents of stubble burning. The condition of pollution is that even inside a closed room, we can see smog. The CM of Delhi doesn't know what AQI is? She says any instrument can measure AQI. She can't even properly pronounce AQI. What will the people of Delhi expect from the Chief Minister for the next 4 years?"

"I think experts should come in front and the Chief Minister should take a step back," he added. (ANI)

Delhi AQI live updates: According to Central Pollution Control Board's data, Delhi's overall AQI stood at 457 as of 1 pm on December 14, putting the national capital's air in ‘severe category’.

Delhi AQI live updates: Dr Atul Mathur, an interventional Cardiologist and Executive Director Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, told news agency ANI "This pollution problem in our country and especially in North India, has been there for many decades... There are two types of components in pollution. One is gases like nitrogen oxide gas, which is harmful, and the second is particulate matter... When these particles circulate in the body, they inflame the arteries of the body... This is the season where there are a lot of viruses... It is very important that you reduce your outdoor exposure. If it is very important, then try to wear light masks

Delhi AQI live updates: Congress leader Alka Lamba sought to target the BJP government in Delhi over pollution in the national capital, told news agency PTI, “They (BJP) claimed many things. They even claimed there would be artificial rain, but they wasted crores of rupees, and nothing happened. As soon as they came to power, they knew that these are the months of the year when air pollution is at its peak, and Delhi has many internal causes of pollution. But our Chief Minister doesn't even know what's happening or what AQI is… What is this? So what can you expect from such a Chief Minister?”

Delhi AQI live updates: Environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari on Sunday criticised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), calling it a "reactive measure" rather than a long-term solution, following the imposition of Stage-IV restrictions in the national capital amid worsening air pollution.

"GRAP, as we know, is a reactive measure. After seeing terrible numbers, GRAP-IV is invoked. What has been done over the years, the decisions taken by the policymakers, is the result we are seeing; it is not an overnight situation... After a few days, when the AQI numbers drop, GRAP will be revoked. This is not the solution...," Kandhari told ANI. (ANI)

Delhi AQI live updates: Environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari, while talking about Delhi pollution, told news agency PTI, “It's very important for citizens not to forget. I cannot speak for the government and the policy makers because the pollution is going to stay. It's the local emissions that will continue. It's only that right now it's the visibility and of course, it gets worse because of the temperature falling and then the wind getting stagnant. But we are living with the pollution throughout the year, the toxicity. So our children are breathing that. So it's very important that you don't forget to ask and question and be alert ourselves. Otherwise, this is not going to change. In the last two years, we've not even had one good air day.”

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi's Rohini recorded the highest AQI as of 11 am at 499, while the lowest AQI was recorded at 388 at Shadipur, according to CPCB's data.

Out of 39 stations, only Shadipur's reading was below the 400 mark.

Here is the list of Delhi AQI recorded at all 39 stations at 11 am-

Alipur – 434

Anand Vihar – 491

Ashok Vihar – 493

Aya Nagar – 440

Bawana – 489

Burari Crossing – 466

CRRI Mathura Road – 441

Chandni Chowk – 451

DTU – 484

Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range – 474

Dwarka Sector 8 – 452

IGI Airport (T3) – 406

IHBAS, Dilshad Garden – 447

IIT Delhi – 416

ITO – 480

Jahangirpuri – 494

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – 461

Lodhi Road – 401

Lodhi Road – Insufficient data

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium – 450

Mandir Marg – 412

Mundka – 484

NSIT Dwarka – 411

Najafgarh – 410

Narela – 480

Nehru Nagar – 479

North Campus, DU – 480

Okhla Phase-2 – 475

Patparganj – 480

Punjabi Bagh – 469

Pusa – 432

Pusa – 445

R K Puram – 471

Rohini – 499

Shadipur – 388

Sirifort – 475

Sonia Vihar – 483

Sri Aurobindo Marg – 417

Vivek Vihar – 495

Wazirpur – 493

Delhi AQI live updates: Harsh Vardhan, a resident of Delhi, told news agency ANI that he is experiencing breathing difficulties due to increased air pollution and urged the government to take stronger measures.

"Pollution has only increased. I am having difficulty breathing. The government should take stronger measures. It is good that GRAP 4 has been invoked in the national capital. I suggest the 'odd-even' scheme should also be implemented," he said.

Delhi AQI live updates: Visuals from Delhi's Akshardham area show a thick layer of toxic smog blanketing the city on Sunday morning as GRAP 4 is in place in the national capital.

Delhi AQI live updates: The national capital's aqi reading remained mostly steady in ‘severe’ category on Sunday morning as it was recorded at 459 at 10 am and at 460 at 9 am.

Delhi AQI live updates: On Sunday morning, as Delhi's air remained toxic, anti-smog gun was used to sprinkle water on roads to reduce dust and air pollution in the city.

Delhi NCR pollution live updates: Drone visuals from Delhi's Ghazipur area on Sunday morning show the city blanketed by a layer of toxic smog as GRAP 4 is in place in the national capital.

Delhi NCR pollution live updates: Graded Response Action Plan, also called Grap, has four stages, invoked as precautionary measures to battle air pollution - Stage 1 is invoked when the AQI crosses 200, stage 2 when it crosses 300, stage 3 at 400 and stage 4 at 450. As a fifth measure part of stage 4, CAQM asks state governments to consider closure of educational institutions and non-emergency commercial activities, permitting running of vehicles on an odd-even basis of registration numbers. This, however, has not been implemented.

Delhi NCR pollution live updates: At an emergency meeting held on Saturday, the CAQM observed that Haryana’s districts within the national capital region (NCR) showed “poor performance in traffic de-congestion, road dust control, and municipal solid waste (MSW) management, particularly in Gurugram.” In contrast, CAQM said that NCR districts in Uttar Pradesh “exhibited satisfactory performance” in mitigating the pollution crisis.

Delhi NCR pollution live updates: In Ghaziabad, the air quality remains severe as the city's AQI readings were recorded at well over the 400 mark on Sunday morning. As of 9 am, Ghaziabad's Indirapuram station recorded an AQI of 476, Sanjay Nagar station recorded AQI of 417, and Vasundhara station recorded AQI of 482.