Delhi Air Quality Improves Marginally, Shifts From 'Severe' To 'Very Poor'

Delhi's air quality improved slightly on Tuesday morning, moving from the 'severe' to the 'very poor' category after five days of air pollution. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital dropped from 421 at 4 pm on Monday to 394 this morning.

Despite the dip in pollution, the microscopic PM2.5 particles, which can lodge deep in the lungs and cause health problems, soared to seven to eight times the government's safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre in multiple locations across Delhi-NCR. It is 30 to 40 times higher than the World Health Organisation's safe limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre.

Several nearby cities in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are also suffering from dangerous air quality. Ghaziabad's AQI is 338, Gurugram's is 364, Noida's is 348, Greater Noida's is 439, and Faridabad's is 382. Fearing further air quality deterioration after Diwali, the Delhi government announced on Monday the return of its flagship odd-even program. The odd-even program allows cars to drive on alternate days based on the odd or even number of their license plate.

To protect students from the harmful effects of air pollution, the Delhi government suspended in-person classes for all grades, except for Classes 10 and 12 preparing for board exams, until November 10.

Delhi-NCR will likely experience severe air quality for the next five to six days, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi-NCR.

Delhi-NCR's air quality plummeted over the past week due to falling temperatures, stagnant winds that stifled pollution dispersion, and a surge in post-harvest paddy stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.

Delhi's air quality is one of the worst among capital cities globally, with a University of Chicago report finding that air pollution reduces life expectancy by almost 12 years.