Toxic Smog Returns: Delhi’s AQI Plunges to Hazardous Levels at 375
Capital's pollution surges into emergency levels overnight.
Delhi's air quality has plummeted back into the hazardous category, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching a severe 375 as of Tuesday morning, prompting renewed alarms over public health and environmental degradation. The sharp deterioration, recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), marks a rapid reversal from marginally improved conditions over the weekend, underscoring the capital's perennial struggle with toxic smog.
The crisis is driven primarily by soaring levels of fine particulate matter, with PM2.5 concentrations hitting 262 micrograms per cubic metre and PM10 at 356 micrograms per cubic metre—far exceeding safe limits set by the World Health Organization. Vehicular emissions, industrial effluents, and residual stubble burning in neighbouring states continue to blanket the city in a dense haze, compounded by stagnant weather patterns that trap pollutants close to the ground.
Health authorities have classified the current AQI as signalling emergency conditions, where prolonged exposure poses immediate risks including respiratory distress, cardiovascular complications, and exacerbated conditions for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing ailments. Medical experts urge residents to minimise outdoor activities and rely on indoor air purifiers to mitigate acute threats from the toxic brew of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide infiltrating the atmosphere.
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In response to the escalating pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management has activated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan, enforcing measures such as bans on non-essential diesel generators, construction halts in high-pollution zones, and enhanced public transport incentives. Authorities are also intensifying border checks to curb the influx of polluting vehicles from neighbouring regions.
As winter sets in, forecasts indicate little immediate relief, with meteorological models predicting sustained calm winds and dropping temperatures that will further concentrate airborne toxins. This resurgence of hazardous air serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for coordinated regional interventions to address the root causes of Delhi's annual pollution scourge.
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