Delhi AQI at 321 as smog reduces visibility

Delhi’s citywide Air Quality Index stood at 321 at 7 a.m. Thursday, November 12, placing the capital in the Central Pollution Control Board’s “very poor” category as smog reduced visibility in several areas. The CPCB classifies readings from 301 to 400 as very poor; readings above 400 are severe.

The CPCB data showed PM2.5 and PM10 were the main pollutants. NSUT Jaffarpur recorded the highest listed station reading, at 399, followed by Chandni Chowk at 387, Pusa IITM at 386, NSIT Dwarka at 383 and JNU at 378. No readings were available for Lodhi Road and Badarpur.

Reports described Thursday’s citywide reading as a slight improvement, although one account said air quality had deteriorated after stronger winds brought temporary relief on Wednesday. The comparison behind the “slight improvement” description was not specified. The city’s average AQI was reported at 313 on Wednesday, up from 299 on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, 34 of the 58 monitoring stations reporting data registered very poor air quality, according to one account. Twenty-two were in the poor category, one was severe and one was moderate. PM10 was identified as the predominant pollutant that day. At Anand Vihar, where...