Delhi’s air quality deteriorates to 'hazardous levels' as pollution spikes amid cold December weather

Delhi's air quality took a sharp turn for the worse on Tuesday (December 2) evening, with pollution levels surging across the city, pushing several areas into the “severe” category. By 9pm, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 390, a significant rise from 304 on Monday and 279 on Sunday, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Of the 39 monitoring sites across the city, 19 reported AQI levels exceeding 400, indicating hazardous conditions that could have serious health repercussions. Some of the worst-hit areas included Burari, Anand Vihar, Mundka, Bawana, Vivek Vihar, Rohini, Sonia Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Punjabi Bagh.

Forecast for Delhi’s air quality

Unfortunately, the forecast doesn’t offer much relief. The Air Quality Early Warning System predicts that pollution levels will remain in the "very poor" category until at least December 5, and the situation is expected to persist for the following six days. This suggests that there won’t be any immediate improvements in the overall air quality.

What are the AQI categories?

0-50: Good

51-100: Satisfactory

101-200: Moderate

201-300: Poor

301-400: Very Poor

401-500: Severe

Major contributor: Transport pollution

Transport remains the largest contributor to Delhi’s pollution, responsible for 18.4% of emissions on Tuesday. It was followed by emissions from nearby industries (9.2%) and neighbouring cities, including Noida (8.2%), Ghaziabad (4.6%), Baghpat (6.2%), Panipat (3.3%), and Gurugram (2.9%). It is expected that transport emissions will account for 15.6% of the city’s pollution on Wednesday.

Cold weather add to woes

Delhi is also experiencing an early chill this December, with temperatures dropping to a minimum of 5.7°C on December 1, the lowest recorded in the first week of December since 2011. The cold, north-westerly winds have caused a noticeable dip in the mercury, further compounding the city's pollution problem. Typically, early December temperatures in Delhi range between 7°C and 11°C, but this year’s reading is a significant deviation from the usual trend.