AQI | DD News

December 12, 2025 12:19 PM

Biting cold, air pollution, falling water levels add to winter woes in Kashmir

Biting cold with no prospect of major rain or snowfall till the end of the month continued in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, as minimum temperatures remained several notches below the freezing point across the Valley. Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, while Pahalgam registered minus 4.6 and Gulmarg touched zero degrees. In the Jammu region, Jammu city saw 8.5 degrees Celsius, Katra 9.4, Batote 6.3, Banihal 4.2 and Bhaderwah 1.9 degrees Celsius. An extended dry spell has t...

October 20, 2025 9:19 AM

Delhi’s air quality deteriorates to ‘poor’ category; CAQM enforces stage 2 of GRAP

Amid the festive fervour across the National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of the country, Delhi continues to struggle with deteriorating air quality. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 411 near the Akshardham Temple on Monday, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Sunday enforced Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect to prevent further decline in air quali...

October 14, 2025 9:40 PM

GRAP Stage-I invoked across NCR as Delhi AQI dips to ‘poor’; 27-point action plan rolled out

In view of deteriorating air quality levels in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Tuesday invoked Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) with immediate effect. The decision came after Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 211, falling in the ‘Poor’ category, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP reviewed the curre...

June 16, 2025 10:51 AM

GRAP’s Stage 1 withdrawn from Delhi-NCR as AQI improves to ‘moderate’

Delhiites breathed cleaner air after showers on early Sunday prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) Sub-Committee on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to revoke actions under Stage-I. “Today, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) of the day clocked 140 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),” said Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters in the region...

January 10, 2025 10:57 AM

“Dense fog” in Delhi brings visibility to zero, disrupts flights

A thick blanket of fog shrouded the national capital on Friday morning, reducing visibility to zero and disrupting daily life. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am, with forecasts predicting a minimum of 6 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius for the day. The IMD categorized the fog as "very dense," impacting transportation and public safety. At the Delhi Airport, flight departures faced delays, prompting the authoriti...

December 16, 2024 10:25 PM

GRAP stage III re-imposed in Delhi amid ‘very poor’ air quality

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday imposed Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi after the city's air quality deteriorated to the 'very poor' category. The CAQM attributed the sharp decline in air quality to "highly unfavorable meteorological conditions," which have exacerbated pollution levels. The CAQM introduced a revised version of GRAP on December 13 to address the recurring problem of winter pollution in Delhi-NCR. GRAP is a set of emergency...

November 28, 2024 10:04 AM

Delhi’s air quality deteriorates, AQI in ‘very poor’ category

The air quality in Delhi remains a grave concern as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 304 in the “very poor” category on Thursday at 6 a.m., according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). While a slight improvement was observed earlier in the week when AQI fell to the "poor" category on Tuesday, pollution levels escalated again by Wednesday and have continued to remain critical. Several areas in the national capital reported air quality in the “severe” ran...

November 27, 2024 10:29 AM

Delhi-NCR air quality deteriorates as AQI nears ‘severe’ levels

The air quality in Delhi-NCR remained in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 396, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The worsening pollution levels have escalated health concerns for the region's residents, with several areas in Delhi witnessing AQI levels above 400, indicating a potential shift to the ‘severe’ category. Mundka reported the highest AQI at 443, followed by Rohini and Vivek Vihar at 432 each. Anand...

November 26, 2024 9:12 AM

Delhi wakes up to thick smog, AQI continues to remain in “very poor” category

Delhi woke up to 'very poor' air quality on Tuesday morning, showing a slight improvement from the past week of 'severe' air quality, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. At 7 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 382, falling under the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. A thick layer of smog covered the National Capital as the Air Quality Index in several areas continues to remain in the 'Very Poor' category. Meanwhile, the trains' movement...

November 20, 2024 11:26 AM

Delhi struggles to breathe as marginal AQI improvement offers little relief

Delhi's air remained hazardous on Wednesday, with a slight improvement in air quality bringing little respite to residents as cases of respiratory distress continued to rise across the national capital. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 424 at 9 a.m., classified as 'severe.' This follows two consecutive days of 'severe plus' air quality, leaving the city's air virtually unbreathable. Visuals from India Gate showed residents navigating thr...