Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Saturday, continuing the trend of persistent pollution in the national capital over the past few weeks. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), several areas across Delhi-NCR, including India Gate and Barapulla, were covered by a thin layer of smog. However, some parts of the city recorded air quality in the ‘moderate’ range. For instance, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 299 in Anand Vihar, 221 in Ashok Vihar, 150 in Aya Nagar, 263 in Bawana, 21 in DTU, and 211 at IGI Airport (T3).
The CPCB classifies AQI levels into six categories: ‘good’ (0-50), ‘satisfactory’ (51-100), ‘moderate’ (101-200), ‘poor’ (201-300), ‘very poor’ (301-400), and ‘severe’ (above 400).
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court took note of the improving AQI levels in Delhi and surrounding areas, permitting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from Stage-IV to Stage-II. However, the court, led by Justice Abhay S. Oka, emphasized that it would not be appropriate to reduce the restrictions further at this stage. It suggested that CAQM consider incorporating measures from Stage-III if necessary.
The bench, which also included Justice A.G. Masih, acknowledged that AQI levels had dropped below 300 in the past few days. The court instructed the CAQM to impose GRAP-III restrictions if the AQI exceeds 350 and to enforce GRAP-IV measures if the AQI crosses 400 in the future, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring and responsive action.
