 "Delhi AQI: Air quality in parts of city improves from 'very poor' to 'poor'")
Delhi's air quality improved from "very poor" to the "poor" category on Friday morning, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recording at 8 am. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at various locations in Delhi - including Anand Vihar (AQI of 300), New Moti Bagh (294), and IGI Airport T3 (291) - showed improvement. Comparatively, on Thursday, all of these locations recorded "very poor" AQI readings, with IGI Airport T3 at 334, New Moti Bagh at 343, and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 345. The AQI for R K Puram also remained in the "Very Poor" range at 360.
Some regions, such as Punjabi Bagh, maintained a "very poor" AQI at 333. However, this is also an improvement from Thursday's 405 AQI reading.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", 401 and 450 "severe", and above 450 "severe-plus". Over the last few weeks, air quality in the national capital lingered between "severe" to "very poor".
Key concerns and Supreme Court's intervention
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court spoke on the need to curb stubble burning, a significant contributor to pollution in Delhi NCR; Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia further highlighted that this scenario needed to be prevented from reoccurring during winter months.
Despite the recovery of Rs 2 crore in environmental compensation from offenders engaged in crop residue burning, concerns persist. The court emphasised the need for collective efforts by state governments to combat this issue. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on February 27.