On Thursday morning, residents of Delhi woke up to 'poor' air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeting to 256 according to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) – India. Mumbai, although in a better state, faces concerns with an AQI of 132, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category as per the SAFAR – India.
In Delhi, specific areas experienced alarming figures, with Delhi University registering an AQI of 316, marking the air quality as ‘very poor’. Noida and Gurugram reported AQI levels of 269 (‘poor’) and 176 (‘moderate’), respectively.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) identified 15 areas in Delhi with poor air quality, including Anand Vihar at 300, Dwarka Sector-8 at 275, Bawana at 295, IGI Airport (T3) at 265, Mundka at 274, Jahangirpuri at 309, NSIT Dwarka at 266, Punjabi Bagh at 275, Nehru Nagar at 293, Patparganj at 267, DU North Campus at 291, Najafgarh at 269, RK Puram at 291, Shadirpur at 292, and others. Additionally, some areas like CRR Mathura Road and DTU fall into the moderate category with AQI readings of 163 and 188, respectively.
According to the CPCB, several areas in Mumbai experienced varying levels of air quality. In Bandra Kurla Complex, the AQI was 153, categorizing it as ‘moderate.’ Borivali East reported an AQI of 112, falling under the ‘moderate’ category as of 6 a.m. Chakala-Andheri East had an AQI of 166, also in the ‘moderate’ range.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport area had ‘moderate’ air quality. Colaba recorded an AQI of 174, indicating ‘moderate’ conditions. Kandivali East had an AQI of 135, classified as ‘moderate’ as well. Worli’s AQI stood at 158, while Sion’s air quality fell into the ‘poor’ category with an AQI of 222. Malad West reported an AQI of 137, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.
The situation this Dussehra in Delhi was particularly alarming, with the average PM2.5 concentration reaching 101 micrograms per cubic meter, surpassing the levels of the past two years. Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reported an increase from 89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022 to 101 micrograms per cubic meter this year.
Mumbai, too, faced deteriorating air quality, indicating a 45% increase in PM 2.5 components compared to the same period last year, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.
In response to the crisis, authorities took immediate action. In Delhi’s Anand Vihar area, water was sprinkled using anti-smog guns in an attempt to mitigate pollution levels.
Simultaneously, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) enforced a complete ban on open burning, including at garbage dumping grounds and construction sites, according to the report by the Indian Express. Notices were issued to 6,000 construction sites to install fogging machines and sprinklers, as part of the city’s comprehensive measures to combat air pollution, the report added.
