A layer of thick smog continued to blanket several areas, showing little to no improvement from Sunday morning's AQI of 359.
The Air Quality Early Warning System predicts that air quality will remain in the "very poor" category from Monday to Wednesday, reported news agency PTI. Early-morning AQI levels showed that even the hours of minimal traffic are not spared, with the air remaining heavily contaminated.
AQI at 5 am (As per the Commission for Air Quality Management Data):
- Anand Vihar: 445
- Burari Crossing: 430
- Dwarka Sector-8: 401
- Narela: 433
- Wazirpur: 450
Deteriorating Trend of Air Quality
The national capital woke up to dense smog on Sunday morning as the average AQI stood at 381 at 7 am, falling under the "very poor" category despite the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) being in effect across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
A layer of toxic smog lingered over Anand Vihar, where the AQI stood at 429, categorised as "very poor," on Sunday. Bawana recorded the highest AQI of 435 at 7 am, placing it in the "severe" category, while NSIT Dwarka recorded the lowest at 313, CPCB data showed.
Other AQI readings included:
Chandni Chowk: 390, RK Puram: 397, ITO: 384, Punjabi Bagh: 411, Patparganj: 401, Pusa: 360, and Dwarka Sector-8: 386.
According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401-500 "severe."
Protest at India Gate
Amid rising public frustration over worsening air pollution, a group of residents gathered at India Gate on Sunday to stage a protest, demanding strict and meaningful action from the Delhi government to control the deteriorating air quality. The Delhi Police dispersed the protestors shortly after.
Earlier, on November 9, people had also protested at the same location, urging the government to implement stronger policies to curb pollution in the National Capital Region.
The foul air in Delhi-NCR has triggered widespread health issues among residents, with many reporting symptoms ranging from blocked noses to breathing difficulties.