Delhi Shivers at 4.5°C as Air Quality Worsens to ‘Very Poor’ Category

New Delhi: Delhi on Monday recorded a minimum temperature of 4.5 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees below normal, according to the weather department.

This is the fourth time in December when the minimum temperature dropped below 5 degrees Celsius, with cold wave conditions observed in Pusa, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The maximum temperature in the city settled at 24.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, with the weather department forecasting cold wave conditions ahead. Temperatures dipped to 3.5 degrees Celsius at Pusa. Humidity levels fluctuated between 100 and 66 per cent during the day.

More Cold Wave Conditions Expected

The weather department has forecast cold wave conditions on Tuesday with the maximum and minimum temperatures on Tuesday expected to hover around 24 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Delhi’s Air Quality Drops to 'Very Poor' Category

Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 379 (very poor) at 4 pm on Monday, up from 294 in the “poor” category on Sunday.

According to CPCB data, this is the second time this month that the air quality has been in the “very poor” category on December 8.

Nearly Half of Monitoring Stations Report 'Severe' Air Quality

Out of 37 monitoring stations, a total of 18 recorded air quality in the “severe” category, 16 in the “very poor” category, and the remaining stations in the “poor” category, according to SAMEER app.

The CPCB classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor”, and above 400 as “severe”.

PM2.5 Levels Pose Significant Health Risks

The primary pollutant on Monday was PM2.5, with levels recorded at 189.5 µg/m³ at 4 pm.

These fine particles pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather Services said the air quality will remain in the “very poor” category for the next two days, with little improvement expected as wind speeds are expected to remain slow.

GRAP-3 Measures Enforced to Tackle Deteriorating Air Quality

As air quality deteriorated, the Centre’s air quality panel for Delhi-NCR invoked restrictive measures under Stage 3 of the air pollution control plan on Monday.

Under the GRAP-3 guidelines, petrol vehicles that do not meet BS-III emission norms and diesel vehicles failing to comply with BS-IV standards are prohibited from entering Delhi and parts of the NCR.

These measures aim to reduce vehicular emissions, a major source of pollution during the winter months.

The ban on construction work extends to all non-essential projects, though exceptions are made for national security, healthcare, and specific public infrastructure projects.

The air quality is expected to remain in the “very poor” category on Tuesday, further deteriorating to the “severe” category on Wednesday, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.

(With agency inputs)