Air quality in Delhi continues to be under 'very poor' category, AQI at 395

Delhi and its surrounding areas continue to struggle with unhealthy air, with several cities reporting the AQI index in the "very poor" category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average AQI value for November 22 in Delhi stood at 395, just below the "severe" category. Notably, an AQI index value of 400 and above is considered "severe". Areas around the national capital also reported unhealthy air.

How is the air quality in the Delhi NCR region?

Air quality in the Delhi NCR region continues to be unhealthy, with most cities under the "poor" or "very poor" category. Air quality in Ghaziabad was reported to be "very poor", with an AQI index of 3444. Greater Noida, on the other hand, had an AQI index value of 321 and fell under the "very poor category, according to CPCB data.

Gurugram had an air quality index value of 341, which is categorised as being "very poor". Another Haryana district adjoining the national capital, Sonipat, had a "very poor" AQI index value of 346. Bahadurgarh at 337, was also under the "very poor" category. Meerut in Uttar Pradesh also recorded "very poor" air quality with an index value of 366.

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Purnia in Bihar recorded the worst air quality with an AQI index value touching 398. Aizwal, the capital of Mizoram recorded the best air quality with a "Good" rating and AQI index value of 15.

Regions with the worst air quality

According to the CPCB data, a total of four regions had an AQI value equal to or above 390. This included the national Capital Delhi at 395, Hanumangarh in Rajasthan at 390, Churu in Rajasthan at 391, and the most polluted Purnia in Bihar with an AQI index value of 398.

What is the Delhi government doing to control the pollution?

Delhi has been witnessing a steep increase in AQI levels after a marginal improvement on Sunday, November 19. The city's AQI stood at 348 at 4 pm on Monday, deteriorating from 301 on Sunday. The increase in AQI levels comes after the Centre on Saturday had removed stringent curbs, including a ban on construction work related to linear projects and the entry of polluting trucks, in Delhi following a drop in pollution levels due to favourable wind speed and direction, a PTI report said.

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What is Grap?

The Centre's Pollution Control Board (PCB) has designed a Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) to control worsening pollution in the national capital. As the name suggests, it is a graded response measure that is imposed depending on the severity of the air quality. 

What is AQI?

The Air Quality Index is a tool for communicating air quality status to the general public. There are six AQI categories, namely good, satisfactory, moderately polluted, poor, very poor, and severe. Each of these categories is decided based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints). According to the AQI scale, the air quality check between 0 and 50 is "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 450 "severe".