As the winter cold begins to set in in the national capital, Delhi, the city is gearing up for another seasonal spike in air pollution. On Saturday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) had a reading of 199, which is just short of the ‘poor’ level. The minimum temperature in the city was 19.4 degrees Celsius, 1.6 notches below normal, and the maximum temperature had fallen to 30.3 degrees Celsius, 3.9 notches below normal, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Delhi AQI Level in the Early Morning
At 4 AM, the AQI of Delhi was at the “moderate” level of 199. Between 201 and 300 is considered to be in the “poor” category. This was the first time in June that the national capital had a “poor” AQI, according to the data. The Decision Support System (DSS) data showed that the transport sector continues to be the biggest emitter in Delhi, with 17.9 percent of the total emissions.
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Reason Why Delhi AQI Continues to Worsen
On Saturday, there were stubble burning events picked up by satellites: 14 in Punjab, one in Haryana, and 42 in the adjacent UP-NCR. The IMD predicts predominantly clear skies on Sunday with minimum and maximum temperatures likely to remain around 19 and 31 degrees Celsius. As per the CPCB, an AQI from zero to 50 is “good,” 51 to 100 “satisfactory,” 101 to 200 “moderate,” 201 to 300 “poor,” 301 to 400 “very poor,” and 401 to 500 “severe.”
Delhi AQI From the Last 5 Years
Over the past five years, Delhi’s air quality during diwali has fluctuated dramatically due to firecrackers, crop burning, and weather conditions. In 2020, AQI reached 518 (“hazardous”), while 2021 soared to 700, one of the highest recorded. In 2022, favorable weather and reduced firecracker use brought AQI down to 172 (“poor”). 2023 was better with 312 (“very poor”), and in 2024, AQI was 394 (“severe”), somewhat less than the worst years. These trends indicate the effect of public activity, regulatory actions, and meteorology on air quality. Even after periodic improvements, Diwali remains a serious risk factor for air pollution in Delhi.
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