New Delhi, Jan 18: Toxic air and a thick blanket of fog crippled the national capital on Sunday as pollution levels surged deep into the “severe” zone. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the city’s Air Quality Index at 439 by 7 a.m., a sharp decline from the 432 mark noted late Saturday night.
The deteriorating conditions prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to reintroduce Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi and the National Capital Region. These “Severe+” measures aim to curb the rising pollutants through strict regional restrictions.
“Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and relevant factors and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP unanimously decides to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV,” the commission stated in its official order.
Monitoring stations across the city painted a grim picture of the atmosphere. Anand Vihar led the charts with a staggering AQI of 489, followed closely by Wazirpur at 478 and Punjabi Bagh at 476. Other major hubs like Dwarka, Ashok Vihar, and RK Puram also reported figures well above the 460 mark.
The India Meteorological Department noted that the crisis is being compounded by a lingering cold wave. Temperatures on Sunday morning stayed between 5°C and 7°C, which is roughly 1.6 to 3 degrees below the seasonal average. This cold air trapped pollutants near the ground, while dense fog significantly reduced visibility for commuters.
Under the current classification system, any AQI reading above 400 is considered “severe,” posing a significant risk to healthy individuals and causing serious health impacts for those with existing medical conditions. Authorities have advised residents, particularly children and the elderly, to remain indoors.
“NCR Pollution Control Boards and other agencies concerned have been asked to escalate the preventive measures to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region,” the CAQM order added.
