Delhi residents woke up on Monday morning to foul air as a toxic blanket of smog cloaked the city.
At 6.05 am, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 366, improving slightly from the city’s 24-hour rolling average of 377 recorded a day earlier, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The CPCB classifies air quality as ‘moderate’ when the AQI is between 101 and 200, ‘poor’ between 201 and 300, and ‘very poor’ between 301 and 400. AQI levels above 400 fall under the ‘severe’ category.
Prolonged exposure to very poor air can trigger respiratory problems, even in people with no prior illness.
On Sunday, southeasterly winds prevailed over Delhi, with wind speeds gusting up to 12 kmph over the past 24 hours, mildly improving air quality, though visibility remained low.
According to the India Meteorological Department, visibility at the Palam station continued to decline despite consistent southeasterly winds of around 7 kmph. Visibility dropped from 800 metres at 9.30 pm on Sunday to 350 metres by 7 am on Monday, prompting the IGI Airport to issue a travel advisory warning of possible disruption to flight operations.
Shallow fog was also reported at the Safdarjung station, where calm overnight wind conditions reduced visibility from 1,000 metres on Sunday night to 600 metres by Monday morning.
