Delhi’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Saturday, with pollution levels slipping back into the ‘red zone’ and edging dangerously close to the severe category. The city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 385 at 4 pm, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Out of the 40 air quality monitoring stations across the capital, 20 recorded AQI readings above 400, officially classified as ‘severe’. Stations reporting alarming pollution levels included Shadipur, Vivek Vihar, Ashok Nagar, Bawana, Chandni Chowk, Delhi Technological University (DTU), Dwarka, ITO, and Mundka, among others, as per the CPCB’s SAMEER app.

The pollution spike marks a sharp reversal after a brief improvement earlier in the week. On Thursday, Delhi’s AQI was recorded at 234, falling in the ‘poor’ category. However, pollution levels began rising again from Friday, when the AQI jumped to 332, before worsening further on Saturday.

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According to data from the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management, vehicular emissions emerged as the single largest contributor to Delhi’s pollution on Saturday, accounting for 16.2 per cent of the total pollution load. Industrial emissions from Delhi and neighbouring areas contributed 8.5 per cent, followed by residential emissions at 4 per cent and biomass burning at 1.6 per cent.

Pollution from neighbouring NCR districts also played a significant role. Jhajjar in Haryana contributed the highest share at 17.5 per cent, followed by Sonipat at 5.8 per cent and Rohtak at 5.6 per cent, highlighting the regional nature of Delhi’s air quality crisis. Authorities have warned that air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category over the next few days.

Weather conditions may further worsen the situation. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a maximum temperature of 22.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday, slightly above normal, while the minimum settled at 7.8 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity rose from 70 per cent in the morning to 100 per cent by evening, with shallow to dense fog forecast during morning and evening hours on Sunday—conditions that could trap pollutants and prolong poor air quality.

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