The AQI in Delhi dropped to ‘very poor’ category by Monday evening due to low winds and continued to be at the same level on Tuesday morning.

New Delhi's air quality has plummeted to alarming levels, with smog significantly reducing visibility and pushing the AQI above 450. Stubble burning, traffic, and industrial emissions are blamed.

Delhi's air quality plunged to 'very poor', with a thick layer of haze blanketing the national capital, early on Tuesday (November 26, 2024). At 9 a.m., Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 392, compared to a reading of 281 at 9 a.m. on Monday (November 25, 2024), according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

Whatever the causes of the smog, by one ranking Delhi was not just the most polluted city in the world, but “nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka,” in Bangladesh next door, as Shashi Tharoor, a leader of the opposition in Parliament and best-selling author, posted on X.

The air quality of Delhi’s areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Wazirpur among others saw slight improvement on Monday, however, it again plummeted to the ‘severe’ category.

The AQI in Delhi has reached 394, placing it in the very poor category. Contributing factors include stagnant winds and low temperatures, leading to a hazardous air quality level that has prompted stricter pollution control measures.

Unhealthy

Pollution levels in Chandigarh - India's first planned city, located about 240km (150 miles) from capital Delhi - have been at more than 15 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for more than a month.

Strong surface winds (at speeds of 15km/hr) that had helped disperse pollutants on Sunday, dropped to near-calm levels of 4-6km/hr by Monday morning, leading to a haze engulfing the city again. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 285 (“poor”) at 9am on Monday,