Air quality turns severe in Delhi as AQI crosses 400

Delhi choked under a blanket of smog on Monday morning with the average Air Quality Index AQI settling at 417 in the severe category according to the Sameer appAir quality lsquoseverersquo at 25 stations lsquovery poorrsquo at 14The air quality was severe at 25 stations while it was very poor at 14 stationAccording to the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB the Air Quality Index AQI in the ITO area was recorded at 434 placing it in the severe category Similar conditions prevailed near Rafi Marg where the AQI stood at 417 while areas around the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Pandav Nagar reported an AQI of 455Anand Vihar Wazirpur among worsthit pollution hotspotsSeveral other locations across the capital also witnessed alarmingly high pollution levels Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 462 Ashok Vihar 473 Bawana 448 Burari 460 Chandni Chowk 454 Dwarka Sector8 427 Mundka 467 Narela 437 Punjabi Bagh 434 RK Puram 439 Rohini 437 and Wazirpur 472 All these areas remained in the severe category indicating extremely poor air quality and heightened health risksWazirpur records highest AQI data unavailable at one stationAs per the Central Pollution Control Board CPCB Sameer app AQI data for one station was not available while writing this report Wazirpur which recorded an AQI of 474 had the worst air quality among all stationsAccording to the CPCB an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good 51 to 100 satisfactory 101 to 200 moderate 201 to 300 poor 301 to 400 very poor and 401 to 500 severePollution likely to stay severe to very poor in coming daysDelhis air quality is likely to remain in severe to very poor category for the next two days The outlook for the subsequent six days also states that the air quality is likely to be in the very poor band according to the Air Quality Early Warning System AQEWSTemperatures to remain low amid smog and cold waveThe maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to range between 2325 degree Celsius and 68 degree Celsius respectivelyStageIV GRAP measures reimposed across DelhiNCRMeanwhile in response to the deteriorating air quality the Commission for Air Quality Management CAQM on Saturday reinvoked StageIV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan GRAP across Delhi and the National Capital Region NCRKeeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and relevant factors and in an effort to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region the CAQM SubCommittee on GRAP unanimously decides to invoke all actions as envisaged under StageIV of the extant GRAP Severe Air Quality DELHI AQI gt 450 with immediate effect in the entire NCR as a proactive measure This is in addition to the actions under Stages I II amp III of the extant GRAP already in force in NCR the order from the CAQM readAuthorities urge citizens to limit outdoor activitiesThe order further added NCR Pollution Control Boards and other agencies concerned have been asked to escalate the preventive measures to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region With severe pollution cold wave and dense fog persisting authorities have urged citizens to limit outdoor activities follow health advisories and take precautions against the hazardous air qualityWith inputs from Agencies