Delhi air quality improves to ‘poor’ category after Diwali; AQI recorded at 293
New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality showed slight improvement on Friday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 293, falling in the ‘poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The air quality had plunged to the ‘severe’ category earlier this week following Diwali celebrations across the National Capital Region (NCR).
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.
While the overall AQI improved, several parts of the city continued to report ‘very poor’ air quality. These included Jahangirpuri (350), Bawana (348), Vivek Vihar (346), Burari Crossing (335), Wazirpur (337), Ashok Vihar (322), Patparganj (324) and ITO (316). Anand Vihar recorded the worst pollution level at 403, placing it in the ‘severe’ category.
In contrast, some localities such as Alipur (285), Aya Nagar (236), Dwarka Sector-8 (290), IGI Airport (257), and Pusa (277) reported AQI levels in the ‘poor’ range. The cleanest air in the capital was recorded at Lodhi Road, where the AQI dropped to 198 — categorised as ‘moderate’.
Across NCR cities, the air quality also showed signs of recovery. Noida recorded an AQI of 264, Greater Noida 272, Ghaziabad 273, and Gurugram 208 — all in the ‘poor’ category. Faridabad fared slightly better with an AQI of 198, classified as ‘moderate’, according to the CPCB’s SAMEER app.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government announced that it plans to conduct the city’s first-ever cloud seeding operation on October 29 to help combat rising pollution levels.
“This will be a landmark technological step and a scientific initiative to clean Delhi’s air and restore environmental balance,” said Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday.
(with agency inputs)
