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The national capital was covered by dense toxic smog on Monday evening, sharply reducing visibility and impacting daily life. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 390 around 11 pm, placing Delhi in the ‘severe’ pollution category. Air quality worsened in several parts of the city, with multiple locations recording extremely high pollution levels. Major hotspots included Anand Vihar (432), Ashok Vihar (407), and the ITO area (429), all falling under the ‘severe’ category.
Iconic areas such as India Gate, Kartavya Path, and Rashtrapati Bhavan were also shrouded in smog, recording an AQI of 384, which is classified as ‘very poor’.
As pollution levels escalated, authorities enforced GRAP-IV measures across the capital to control emissions. Truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed, and a high-level review meeting was attended by senior officials from the Environment and Transport Departments, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Traffic Police, and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that air quality in some parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) has reached 'severe' levels. Several areas of the city are experiencing dangerously high pollution.
“In winters, there is a noticeable rise in patients with breathlessness, chest infections, and allergic conditions. It is challenging to determine how much is caused by low temperatures and how much by air pollution,” he said.
He added that while the government has taken measures like enforcing BS6 vehicle norms and controlling construction dust, these efforts alone are not enough to tackle the pollution effectively.
A high-level review meeting took place on Monday at the Delhi Secretariat to evaluate pollution control strategies and make decisive interventions. Key outcomes include strict enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms with no waiver of fines, exploring shared electric bus services across Delhi-NCR, issuing updated e-rickshaw guidelines, and rationalising Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus routes.
Key areas in Delhi:
As air quality in the national capital worsens during the winter season, doctors are reporting a clear increase in neurological and respiratory health problems, highlighting the need for strong government measures and public cooperation to control pollution. Speaking to ANI, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chairman of the FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder and Chief Radiologist at Mahajan Imaging & Labs, said cases of chest pain, breathing difficulties and allergies have risen sharply. However, he noted that it remains difficult to pinpoint whether air pollution or cold weather is the main cause.
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