Delhi woke up to moderate fog on Friday morning, a day after Christmas, as air quality in the national capital deteriorated and slipped back into the ‘very poor’ category. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 305 at 8 am, marking a sharp decline from the previous day.
Anand Vihar recorded the worst air quality in the city with an AQI of 390. Of the 39 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi, 24 reported AQI levels between 300 and 400, placing them firmly in the ‘very poor’ category. Several other areas, including Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Chandni Chowk, Jahangirpuri and Rohini, also reported alarming pollution levels.
Fourteen monitoring stations recorded AQI in the ‘poor’ category, while Lodhi Road stood out with a ‘moderate’ AQI reading of 177. Data for Pusa was unavailable at the time of reporting. The deterioration came just a day after air quality briefly improved to the ‘poor’ category on Christmas following nearly two weeks of ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ pollution levels.
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Officials said vehicular emissions and pollution from neighbouring cities continued to significantly contribute to Delhi’s pollution load. Although Stage IV restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have been lifted, measures under Stages I, II and III remain in force. Construction and demolition sites previously shut for violations will not be allowed to reopen without explicit approval.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy skies with shallow to moderate fog at a few places, especially during morning hours. Minimum temperatures are expected to range between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius, while maximum temperatures are likely to remain between 21 and 23 degrees Celsius, offering little immediate relief from the pollution concerns.
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