Delhi AQI hits 'severe plus' as breathing equals smoking 49 cigarettes daily; PM2.5 levels 60x WHO limit

Air quality in the national capital has drastically worsened, crossing the "severe plus" category with an AQI of 481, on Monday (Nov. 18) morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. This alarming rise in pollution has disrupted daily life, prompting the implementation of emergency pollution control measures.

Under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), public transport is being encouraged, and a ban has been imposed on the entry of trucks and BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region.

"From tmrw physical classes shall be suspended for Class 10 and 12 as well, and all studies will be shifted online," Delhi CM Atishi posted on X.

The Supreme Court of India raised concerns about the delays in implementing Stage 4 of GRAP despite the AQI reaching critical levels. A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih questioned why these measures were not enforced sooner. The Delhi government’s counsel informed the court that Stage 4 restrictions, including a ban on heavy vehicles entering the capital, were implemented starting Monday.

The court emphasised the need for strict adherence to Stage 4 measures, regardless of slight improvements in AQI. “The moment the AQI reaches between 300 and 400, Stage 4 has to be invoked. How can you take risks in such matters by delaying its applicability?,” the bench asked.

The state government was directed to detail the actions taken to combat the rising pollution levels. The Supreme Court also said it would not allow any rollback of preventive measures under Stage 4, even if the AQI drops below 450.

Delhi is experiencing the worst pollution crisis, with an AQI of 978 as per IQair. According to experts, breathing in the city’s air at this level is equivalent to smoking 49 cigarettes per day. Since late October, the capital's air quality has been deteriorating steadily due to factors like stubble burning and the bursting of firecrackers.

The air in New Delhi is reportedly 60 times more toxic than the limit recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), reported news agency AFP.

PM2.5 levels, which measure harmful microparticles that can enter the bloodstream via the lungs, reached 907 micrograms per cubic metre on Monday morning, according to IQAir monitors. The WHO considers a reading above 15 over 24 hours to be unhealthy. Some monitoring stations in the capital recorded PM2.5 levels as high as 980, 65 times the WHO limit.