Delhi Remains in Very Poor Air Quality Category

Delhi remained in the very poor air-quality category on Wednesday, November 4, as readings at monitoring stations across the capital reached the severe range and Stage II pollution restrictions remained in force. Early reports placed the citywide Air Quality Index at 369, while official data cited by authorities showed 379 at 9 a.m.; the figures reflect different observation times and reporting accounts. Twenty of Delhi’s 59 monitoring stations were reported in the severe category, 33 in the very poor category and six in the poor category. Jahangirpuri and Punjabi Bagh each recorded an AQI of 447 in early readings cited by several reports. Other locations with severe readings included Rohini, Mundka, Alipur, Bawana and areas near IIT Delhi. PM2.5 was identified as the prominent pollutant. The Central Pollution Control Board’s 24-hour average AQI was 350 at 4 p.m. on November 3, up from 324 at the same time on November 2. That increase followed the Commission for Air Quality Management’s decision on November 2 to bring Delhi under Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan, after the daily average entered the very poor category. The measures were in force across the National...