Delhi’s air quality drops to ‘severe’ category; Average AQI exceeds 418 mark

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality in the National Capital has dropped to the severe category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding the 418 mark as of 6 this morning.

Following the sharp rise in the pollution level, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked the fourth phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the Delhi-NCR region. The commission took the decision after reviewing the situation in its Sub- Committee meeting called on an emergency basis last night.

The Commission



highlighted that the air quality is worsening due to extremely calm wind conditions and the buildup of an inversion layer, which is adversely affecting the vertical mixing height.

In an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality the Sub-Committee decided that all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of GRAP be implemented with immediate effect in right earnest by all agencies across the entire NCR. This will be in addition to the actions under Stages-1, 2 and 3rd of the revised GRAP schedule already in force.