November 27, 2023 : New Delhi grapples with deteriorating air quality, edging perilously close to the ‘severe’ category, as per monitoring agencies. Calm winds and cloudy conditions have led to the entrapment of pollutants, resulting in a thick layer of smog enveloping Delhi and its suburbs. Visibility dropped to 600 meters at the Safdarjung Observatory and 800 meters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by 8 am. Authorities from the India Meteorological Department anticipate marginal relief with a slight increase in wind speed and light rainfall during the day. Unfavorable atmospheric conditions are expected to persist for the next two to three days.
As of 9 am, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 400. The 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm daily, was 395 on Sunday, 389 on Saturday, 415 on Friday, 390 on Thursday, 394 on Wednesday, 365 on Tuesday, 348 on Monday, and 301 on November 19. The city has already witnessed 10 severe air quality days in November, surpassing the total from the same month last year, which recorded only three severe air quality days.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s data reveals a concerning trend, indicating an increase in severe air quality days over the years. According to a joint project by the Delhi government and the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, biomass burning has emerged as the primary contributor to Delhi’s air pollution, accounting for 31 to 51 percent in recent days. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged concerned agencies to strictly enforce restrictions on polluting vehicles and address the rising incidents of biomass burning.
