Delhi’s air quality plummeted further on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, breaching the hazardous threshold with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 421 at 7 a.m., according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Key areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Alipur reported AQI levels ranging from 400 to 470, marking a dire escalation in the city’s ongoing battle with toxic air.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classified Delhi’s air as “Very Poor,” though localized areas ventured into the more alarming “Severe” zone. Such levels pose significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions.
Adding to the city’s challenges, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a chilling minimum temperature of 5°C, compounding the effect of the winter smog.
Despite a 40-year-long judicial push, including Supreme Court directives aimed at mitigating pollution, efforts to combat Delhi’s air crisis remain insufficient. Environmentalists attribute the current scenario to a mix of industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, stubble burning, and adverse weather conditions trapping pollutants close to the surface.
What Lies Ahead?
With the air quality hitting hazardous levels, authorities are expected to enforce emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Citizens are advised to limit outdoor activities and use air purifiers indoors.
Delhi’s toxic air serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for stronger, actionable measures to address pollution at its root. Until then, residents are left grappling with the health risks of breathing the city’s polluted air.