Delhi's Air Quality Crisis: A Severe Plus Pollution Alert

Delhi's air quality reached a 'severe plus' category with an AQI of 451. PM2.5 levels soared, with many areas recording 470. The city is under Stage IV of GRAP with anti-pollution measures like construction bans. The IMD forecasts dense fog and temperature variations.

Delhi's air quality hit the 'severe plus' category, with an alarming 24-hour average AQI of 451, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board. The capital faced perilous PM2.5 levels, with 32 out of 35 monitoring stations recording hazardous air quality.

Some localities documented AQI figures as high as 470. PM2.5 particles, which are 2.5 micrometers or smaller, pose grave health concerns, capable of penetrating deep into the lungs upon inhalation.

Currently, Delhi is under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), enforcing strict anti-pollution strategies, including halts on construction and restrictions on non-essential polluting vehicles. The IMD issued a yellow alert, anticipating dense fog, with temperatures reaching 23°C maximum and dipping to 5°C minimum.

(With inputs from agencies.)