Delhi Chokes: AQI Plummets to 'Very Poor' as Cold Wave Hits the City
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Delhi residents braced for another hazardous morning on Friday, with the air quality index (AQI) plummeting to 'very poor' levels. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app, the average AQI in the national capital was recorded at 324 at 7:05 AM, a 20-point increase from Thursday evening's levels. This surge has pushed Delhi further into the 'very poor' category, with 31 out of 40 monitoring stations recording pollution levels in this range. The RK Puram monitoring station topped the charts with an AQI of 374, followed closely by Bawana and Nehru Nagar. In contrast, the Mandir Marg station recorded the lowest AQI in the city at 222, while NSIT, Dwarka, and other areas remained in the 'poor' category. A cold wave warning has been issued for Friday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting a mainly cloudy sky, shallow fog, and cold wave conditions at isolated places. The minimum temperature is expected to settle at 5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is expected to drop to 23 degrees Celsius. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed the growing toxicity of Delhi's air, with the city's air quality deteriorating to the 'very poor' to severe range despite a lower contribution from farm fires. The report highlights the impact of local pollution sources, mainly from vehicles and combustion, and warns of the risk of reversal of long-term air quality gains in the city. "The city cannot hide behind the smokescreen of farm fires anymore," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at CSE. "The daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 and other toxic gases is creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed.
