Delhi AQI Hits 164: Air Quality 'Moderate' But Toxic Foam Returns to Yamuna
Delhi records a moderate AQI of 164, but toxic foam returns to the Yamuna and several areas remain in the 'poor' category.
New Delhi woke up to a slight reprieve on Monday morning as the Delhi air quality index was recorded at 164 at 7 am. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), this puts the national capital in the 'moderate' category, signaling a marginal improvement in the air residents are breathing.
The Breakdown: Where is the Air Worst?
While the overall average suggests a moderate state, the reality varies significantly across different pockets of the city. Data from 55 out of 60 active monitoring stations revealed that several areas are still struggling with 'poor' air quality. PM2.5 remains the primary culprit, acting as the lead pollutant at 30 different stations.
The areas recording the highest pollution levels include:
- Jahangirpuri: 246 AQI (Lead Pollutant: PM2.5)
- Vivek Vihar: 235 AQI (Lead Pollutant: PM2.5)
- CRRI Mathura Road: 231 AQI (Lead Pollutant: PM10)
- Punjabi Bagh: 225 AQI (Lead Pollutant: PM2.5)
- R K Puram: 223 AQI (Lead Pollutant: PM2.5)
In contrast, some areas showed much better results, with PGDAV College in Sriniwaspuri reporting readings as low as 110, while other stations fluctuated between 118 and 180.
GRAP Stage 1 in Effect
The persistent threat of deteriorating air quality has not gone unnoticed. On October 21, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the Delhi-NCR region to preemptively curb pollution levels.
Under the current GRAP-1 restrictions, the following measures are in place:
- A complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors at restaurants, hotels, and open-air eateries.
- Strict restrictions on the use of diesel generators, limiting them only to essential or emergency purposes.
A Double Blow: The Yamuna's Toxic Foam
While the air showed a slight improvement, the city's water bodies are facing a crisis. The Delhi-NCR region is currently dealing with a "double environmental blow" as toxic white foam has reappeared on the Yamuna River near Kalindi Kunj.
Visuals from the site show massive, thick blankets of white foam floating on the water's surface, a stark reminder of the river's ongoing pollution struggle. This resurgence occurs at a sensitive time; just days prior, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had praised the government's initiatives to revive the river, celebrating the launch of infrastructure projects valued at approximately ₹9,000 crore as a "joyful day" for the people of Delhi.
With the overall AQI in the wider NCR region touching 168 on Sunday and the river foaming once again, the capital remains in a precarious environmental state, balanced between moderate air and severe water pollution.