Delhi Air Pollution: AQI Soars To 'Severe Plus' At 451, IMD Issues Dense Fog Warning For December 20

Delhi Air Quality Update:  The Central Pollution Control Board statistics show that Delhi's air quality fell into the "severe plus" category on Thursday, with a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 451 at 4 PM. The main pollutant, PM2.5, was present in dangerously high concentrations throughout the city, with 32 out of 35 monitoring sites reporting severe hazardous air quality.

The AQI was as high as 470 in certain places. When inhaled, PM2.5 particles—which are 2.5 micrometres or less in diametre—can enter the lungs deeply, posing serious health hazards.

Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which entails the strictest anti-pollution measures, is still in effect for the nation's capital.

Construction and the introduction of non-essential, polluting trucks into the city are completely prohibited as part of the measures.

GRAP divides air quality into four stages: poor (AQI 201-300), very poor (AQI 301-400), severe (AQI 401-450), and severe plus (AQI > 450).

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The MeT department has also predicted smog and dense fog conditions likely to intensify due to the predominant surface winds from the north wind direction.

Meanwhile, the winter become a problem to the pedestrians and people who live in poor localities with no shelter.

A yellow signal for extremely dense fog has been issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for Friday. According to the department, Thursday's high temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, which was marginally higher than the season's average, and its low was five degrees Celsius, which was three degrees lower.