Consistent winds, clear sky with bright sun failed to improve the air quality as the air quality index in Delhi continued to remain in the "very poor" category with an Air Quality Index of 346 while experiencing its lowest minimum temperature of the season at 9 degree Celsius on Saturday morning, down from 10°C the previous day.
This November was the second most polluted penultimate month ever after 2021. The average air quality index of November this year was 375 against 376 in November 2021. This was also the first time in Nov when AQI never fell below 300 in the entire month. After the warmest Oct in 73 years, Delhiites experienced the warmest November in eight years. The lack of active western disturbances, coupled with insufficient snowfall in the Himalayan region, caused Delhiites to experience a warmer November this time. According to the India Meteorological Department's data both mean maximum and minimum temperature stayed above normal in November.
The air quality in Noida and Gurugram also continued to fall in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ category. This marks the seventh consecutive day that Delhi-NCR’s air quality has remained in the ‘very poor’ category, creating significant challenges for public health and daily life. Meanwhile, IQ Air real time data recorded 392 and PM2.5 concentration is currently 54.2 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value. PM2.5 was the primary pollutant in Delhi, with levels recorded at 153 µg/m³ at 3 pm on Saturday.
Out of the 38 monitoring stations across the national capital, only Shadipur recorded AQI in the "severe" category, while 34 stations recorded "very poor" AQI, according to the Sameer app that provides hourly updates of national AQI published by the CPCB.
In Anand Vihar, one of the national Capital’s most polluted areas, the AQI reached an alarming level of 505 around 8 A.M., placing it in the hazardous category.This is a stark indicator of the deteriorating environmental conditions. The toxic air is not confined to Delhi alone, as neighboring cities are also grappling with dangerous pollution levels.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday morning, Noida recorded an AQI of 267, Greater Noida 286, and Ghaziabad 250, while Haryana’s Gurugram saw an AQI of 284, with most areas falling in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories.
Meanwhile, a report by the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has revealed that measures taken by the government to curb pollution in Delhi under the so-called GRAP-4 or Graded Action Response Plan has cost the city around Rs 2,500 crore ($300 million). CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said increased pollution levels have led to a sharp decline in footfall in markets as well as a slowdown in the tourism sector. Goyal said that around 300,000 to 400,000 visitors would arrive in Delhi markets before the AQI crisis but the number has since dropped to just over 100,000. This translates to a daily loss of over $12 million to Delhi retailers and businesses as shoppers increasingly turn to online shopping.
