Delhi AQI highlights: City's 24-hour air quality index at 488 today, report says

Delhi AQI live updates: Rakesh Yadav, president of the Sadar Bazar Trades Association, said that there is a 15% decline in footfall in the Sadar market compared to usual days.

“There’s a noticeable decrease in the number of people visiting Sadar Bazar, especially customers from other states who typically come for wholesale shopping. Many are now placing orders online instead of travelling here due to the severe air pollution,” Yadav said.

Delhi AQI live updates: The Delhi government's health department has directed all its hospitals to constitute teams of specialists to tackle patients with respiratory ailments linked to severe air pollution in the city, officials said.

The department has also instructed hospitals to monitor and report daily cases of respiratory ailments, including both outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) cases.

Delhi AQI live updates: According to Swiss group IQAir, Delhi's air quality was a “hazardous” 489 on Tuesday, making it the most polluted city in the world.

However, this is a significant improvement from Monday's 1,081 reading.

Delhi AQI live updates: On Tuesday, Delhi's 24-hour air quality index (AQI) reading was at 488 on a scale of 500, and at least five stations in the city reported an AQI of 500, Reuters reported.

Delhi AQI live updates: "As every year, these problems crop up as the air quality deteriorates every year in November, in its anticipation, the RML Hospital one-and-a-half months prior, a pollution-dedicated OPD started, this is first such OPD in a hospital in the country. This OPD is open from 2 pm to 4 pm on Tuesday in Room Number 3-4, ground floor, Medicine OPD. All the super specialists related to pollution are there- Chest Physician, Dermatologist, Ophthalmologist, Psychiatrist. All the pollution related problems are addressed at a single desk there," Dr Akash said.

Delhi AQI live updates: “As the AQI is increasing everyday, people are facing issues related to skin, and other problems, the most common is breathlessness, dry cough, suffocation. Eye irritation cases are also coming up,” says Dr Akash, Dermatologist, RML Hospital.

Delhi AQI live updates: Amid Delhi's worsening air quality, a concrete step in the return of odd and even rules and work-from-home measures is likely to be made by the government soon. The air quality in the national capital has remained in the “severe plus” category since Sunday, with AQI readings consistently above 450. Dig deeper

Delhi AQI live updates: BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashed out at the Capital's AAP govt, accusing it of “playing” with the health of the people.

“Delhi is covered under a layer of pollution. You cannot even go out without wearing a mask. Delhi has achieved a milestone as it has crossed Lahore in pollution. AAP has brought Delhi to a state worse than Lahore. Today, the AQI is crossing the mark of 500-600. They (AAP) blame UP, Haryana and Diwali for all this. Earlier, they used to blame stubble burning in Punjab, now they don't say anything. The air is so polluted today. Aam Aadmi Party is playing with our health,” Poonawalla said.

Delhi AQI live updates: Amid the severe pollution gripping the national capital, Delhi Metro recorded its highest-ever daily ridership on November 18, with a staggering 78.67 lakh passenger journeys, according to official data.

This figure exceeded the previous high of 77.49 lakh passengers on August 20 of this year, the data said.

Delhi AQI live updates: Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna declines request of some senior lawyers asking for complete virtual functioning of courts.

“We have told all judges here, wherever possible allow virtual,” CJI Khanna said.

Delhi AQI live update: In an official notification on Tuesday, the university stated that "classes shall be conducted in online mode till Saturday, November 23, with regular classes in physical mode to resume from Monday, November 25."

However, it clarified that the schedules for examinations and interviews will remain unchanged.

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday that a decision on implementing work-from-home measures and the odd-even scheme will be made soon to address the city's worsening air quality. Speaking to PTI, Rai said, “People including children and senior citizens are struggling to breathe and we deeply regret this situation.”

Delhi AQI live updates: BJP leaders staged a protest against the AAP government and distributed face masks in some of Delhi's most polluted areas, including Anand Vihar and ITO, as the city continued to battle severe air pollution. During an awareness and mask distribution event at Anand Vihar, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva criticised Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Atishi, accusing the government of failing to take action on the ongoing pollution crisis.

Delhi AQI live updates: Following Jawaharlal Nehru University's decision to hold online classes due to severe pollution and deteriorating air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), Jamia Millia Islamia has also announced a shift to online classes until Saturday, November 23. An official notification from the university on Tuesday confirmed that “classes shall be conducted in online mode till Saturday, November 23, 2024, with regular in-person classes resuming on Monday, November 25.”

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in tackling the alarming air pollution levels in the national capital. Rai said that it is the Prime Minister’s moral responsibility to act decisively, urging the Centre to implement effective measures to control the worsening situation.

Delhi AQI live updates: Gopal Rai on Tuesday said that if the central government fails to take action on the alarming pollution levels in Delhi, the Union environment minister should resign. He criticised the lack of effective measures and urged the Centre to step up efforts to combat the pollution crisis affecting the national capital.

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai has called for the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across North India, accusing BJP-led states of violating the guidelines. Rai emphasised the urgency of enforcing these rules to tackle the escalating pollution crisis.

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday criticised Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav for neglecting the Delhi government's repeated requests to convene an emergency meeting over the city's worsening pollution situation.

Delhi AQI live updates: Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai has suggested artificial rain to tackle Delhi's smog issue and requested an emergency meeting with experts and authorities. Rai said, “We have been consulting several experts over how to remove the smog cover in Delhi. We believe that the time has come for artificial rain to remove this smog cover and provide relief to the people. I am writing a letter to the Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav requesting him to call an emergency meeting. The Delhi government, experts from IIT-Kanpur, who have done research on artificial rain, and all concerned departments should be called in the meeting to immediately initiate steps for artificial rain.”

Delhi AQI live updates: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the central government on Tuesday over Delhi's severe air pollution, calling it the world's most polluted city. He said the capital is "nearly uninhabitable" from November to January and "barely liveable" the rest of the year. Tharoor termed it “unconscionable” that the government has allowed the crisis to persist for years without adequate action.

Delhi air pollution live updates: Amid rising pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region, Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma on Monday ordered the closure of physical classes up to 12th standard until November 23.

Delhi air pollution live updates: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that the pollution level in Delhi is so dangerous right now that walking around without a mask is putting people's life at serious risk. "In this situation, we are trying to raise awareness. I know that we will not be able to help the entire population of Delhi, but it will definitely make people more conscious" said Tiwari.

Delhi air pollution live updates: Despite the ongoing smog in Delhi, train services continue, with visuals from New Delhi Railway Station showing a thick haze enveloping the area. Due to the reduced visibility, 22 trains have been delayed and 9 rescheduled, according to the Railways.

Delhi air pollution live updates: Air quality in Delhi remained in the 'severe plus' category for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, with smog reducing visibility and worsening pollution levels. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported an AQI of 488 at 8 am, categorizing the air as hazardous. Such high AQI levels pose serious health risks, especially to vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.

Delhi air pollution live updates: The Union health secretary issued an updated advisory on Monday to states and union territories regarding air pollution. The advisory recommends strengthening health systems, raising awareness among vulnerable groups and at-risk occupations, and developing action plans at the district and city levels to address the health impacts of climate change and air pollution. It also highlights the need to expand the network of sentinel hospitals to monitor air pollution-related illnesses for more effective response and monitoring.