People in Delhi and nearby areas are having a tough time these days. The air is really bad, and on top of that, it’s getting very cold with lots of fog everywhere.
The latest check from aqi.in shows Delhi’s overall air quality at 293 this morning, which falls into the severe category. This is based on readings taken around 9:08 AM local time. The main culprits are fine particles like PM2.5 at 213 micrograms per cubic meter and PM10 at 301. While the city average is this, some spots might be higher, though exact station details weren’t listed in the update.
Surrounding cities are also dealing with rough air. Earlier reports had Gurugram at 354, Noida 352, and Ghaziabad 334, all very poor levels. Faridabad was somewhat lower at 283, in the poor range.
This air trouble comes right after the first cold spell of the season. On Saturday, the city saw its lowest daytime temperature this December at 16.9 degrees Celsius, five degrees below average. Clouds and smog made sure the sun stayed hidden most of the day.
The fog has really messed with air travel. On Sunday, about 110 flights were canceled at Delhi’s main airport because of poor visibility, with over 370 others running late. Things have been smoother today, as per airport posts. The weather service predicts moderate to dense fog in the evenings and early mornings, with an orange alert active. For today, expect daytime highs around 21 degrees Celsius and lows near 9 degrees.
Fog warnings extend to nearby states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana until this morning, with scattered fog likely in Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh from December 25 to 27.
Delhi’s Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, noted that a western disturbance approaching could impact the weather and air quality further. In a recent statement, he highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle polluting factories and breaches of the construction halt, following reports of unauthorized activities.
The strictest pollution controls, known as stage IV of the plan, have been active since December 13. This includes a full stop on building and demolition work, bans on open fires, limits on older vehicles entering the city, no fuel for cars without valid emission tests, and requiring half of office staff in government and private sectors to work from home.
It’s wise for residents, especially those with respiratory concerns, to limit time outside until conditions improve.
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