Smog Blanket Over North India, Air Quality Drops To "Severe" Level

There has been an early onset of toxic cover across Delhi and north India this year owing to stubble burning across the north Indian states. What is also shocking is the scale of the smog cover, as well as the level of pollutants present in it.

Satellite images show the white blanket stretching across practically the whole of north India -- all the way down to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In the east, it stretches well beyond Central Uttar Pradesh.

The smog blanket, while registering its presence just around Diwali, settles down in earnest towards the end of December and continues throughout January.

What makes this doubly clear is a satellite image from last year. Here is a comparison of both images from the Korean Geo Kompsat 2A satellite.

The smog cover over Delhi was thick and significantly dropped air quality to the 'Severe' category. The Air Quality Index had crossed the 400 mark -- when the approved mark is around 60.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Pollution board CAQM said: "Today, Delhi's daily average AQI clocked 418 as per the 4 PM AQI Bulletin by CPCB. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP accordingly took stock of the air quality scenario and the AQI forecast, including for the meteorological conditions as made by IMD/ IITM."

The low visibility sevrely hampered flight operations. The smog caused zero visibility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 8.30 am. The Runway Visual Range varied between 125 and 500 metres, the met department said.

The pollution board said they expect the situation to improve by tomorrow morning, "owing to stronger winds".

The Air Quality Index is also expected to move back to the 'Very Poor' category tomorrow.