Delhi woke up to dense smog on Saturday as the air quality in major areas was recorded past 400, falling under the ‘Severe’ category. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall AQI in Delhi at 10 am stood at 389.
Earlier on November 14, the overall AQI of Delhi at 4 pm was 387.
Several areas, including Wazirpur, Bawan, Rohini, Anand Vihar, Mundka and Jahangirpuri, recorded an AQI above 400. Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 450 at 9 am.
| Area | AQI | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Wazirpur | 450 | Severe |
| Bawana | 443 | Severe |
| Rohini | 426 | Severe |
| Anand Vihar | 426 | Severe |
| Mundka | 425 | Severe |
| Jahangirpuri | 423 | Severe |
| Vivek Vihar | 420 | Severe |
| Chandani Chowk | 420 | Severe |
| Narela | 419 | Severe |
| ITO | 419 | Severe |
With air quality in the national capital depleting, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has already implemented Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region.
Earlier this week Directorate of Education directed all schools in the Delhi NCR region to shift to hybrid mode for students up to class 5.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this week Directorate of Education directed all schools in the Delhi NCR region to shift to hybrid mode for students up to class 5.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Air pollution in Delhi-NCR: The right way to talk about it | Hindustan Times
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana to file a status report on the measures taken to curb stubble burning, which contributes to the air pollution crisis in the Delhi-NCR region.
According to data from the Decision Support System (DSS), stubble burning contributed 8.5 per cent to Delhi's pollution on Friday, while transport emissions accounted for 19.8 per cent, the highest share of all sources.
High pollution combined with Meteorological conditions has been the cause of depleting air quality in the city. Winds have been consistently slow, and low temperatures have worsened the situation.
Also read: Delhi pollution: Outdoor dining takes a hit as rising AQI keeps diners indoors | Hindustan Times
EWS bulletin released on Friday said that the city will see mainly clear skies with smog/shallow fog during morning hours. It also said that the wind speed will decrease, becoming less than 05 kmph during the evening and night on 15 November.
CPCB places an AQI above 400 in the 'severe' category, while 301-400 in the ‘very poor’ category, 201-300 ‘poor’category, 101-200 ‘moderate’, and 51-100 ‘satisfactory’category.