&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Delhi’s air quality remains ‘very poor’ for 3rd straight day, may hit ‘severe’ level on Tuesday")
The air quality of Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category for a third consecutive day on Monday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) daily national bulletin, the average air quality index (AQI) in Delhi over the past 24 hours stood at 316 (very poor) at 8 am, an improvement from Sunday, when it was 366 (very poor) at 4 pm.
On Sunday, the AQI reached a seasonal peak of 388 at 10 am. The record came before the situation escalated to improve as wind speed touched around 10 km/hr during the day. The weather forecasts confirmed that this improvement is for a short duration and Delhi is likely to record its first 'severe' air day in the capital on Tuesday.
“Delhi’s air quality is very likely to be in the ‘very poor’ category from Sunday to Monday. The air quality is very likely to be in the ‘severe’ category on Tuesday, before once again returning to ‘very poor’ on Wednesday,” said the centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) for Delhi in its daily bulletin issued on Sunday.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorises air quality index (AQI) readings from 0–50 as “good,” 51–100 as “satisfactory,” 101–200 as “moderate,” 201–300 as “poor,” 301–400 as “very poor,” and anything above 400 as “severe.” Delhi has yet to register a ‘severe’ air day this year; the last one was on December 23, 2024, when the AQI hit 406.
Delhi entered its most polluted stretch of the year
Historical data indicate that the city has now entered its most polluted stretch of the year. According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) analysis of CPCB data from 2018 to 2022, the period from November 1–15 consistently records the year’s highest AQI levels.
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The second-most polluted phase typically occurs between December 16–31. This pattern aligns with an IIT Delhi study from 2019, which found that the first pollution peak usually happens between October 29 and November 4, followed by another between December 30 and January 5.
