Delhi’s air quality dips to ‘very poor’ at 318 as smog blankets national capital

Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 318, followed by Chanakya Place, DR Karni Singh Shooting Range and Goutampuri, according to private air pollution tracker aqi.in. There is usually a difference between the AQI figures recorded by the EWS, Central Pollution Control Board, and aqi.in due to positioning of the various monitoring stations and devices and the different parameters considered.

Areas in Delhi with the most polluted air:

The AQI reading is categorised as Good (0-50), Satisfactory (51-100), Moderately Polluted (101-200), Poor (201-300), Very Poor (301-400), and Severe (401-500). Higher the AQI reading, the unhealthier it is to breathe.

Going by Early Warning System’s forecast, the AQI might shoot up anywhere between 320 and 360 today.

What’s the weather in Delhi like today?

The weather (as of Sunday morning) is around 17.4^oC. According to RMC Delhi, Maximum temperature is forecast to be around 30^oC-32^oC, while the minimum is expected to be around 16^oC-18^oC. A mainly clear sky may become party cloudy towards the evening, while mist and shallow fog may be observed in the morning hours.

‘Data management, not pollution control’

Meanwhile, AAP on Saturday alleged that water was being sprayed day and night at the Anand Vihar ISBT pollution monitoring station “to artificially lower AQI (air quality index) readings”. The BJP dismissed the charge as “foolish” and “politically motivated”

In a video released by AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj, MCD tankers could be seen spraying water around the sensors at the ISBT station. He described this as “data management, not pollution control”.