Delhi’s air quality has been deteriorating for the past few days and has become a major cause for concern after it crossed the 400 mark on the AQI 500 scale on November 11 and entered the ‘severe’ range. On Wednesday, the national capital recorded an AQI of 413 at 7:05 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Out of a total of 39 air quality monitoring stations, 33 recorded air quality in the severe category. The impact of chronic exposure to air pollution extends far beyond respiratory disease. Research has pointed to long-term health consequences, including the risk of cancer and weakening of the body’s immunity.
According to the State of Global Air 2025 report, India will see more than two million deaths related to toxic air in 2023. Experts say rising PM2.5 concentrations in South Asia are among the highest in the world and an indicator of a deepening ecological and human crisis.
The Central government on November 11 implemented Phase III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR after the national average air quality index (AQI) rose sharply on Tuesday. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has blamed a stable atmosphere and adverse weather conditions for rising pollution levels, allowing pollutants to accumulate near the surface.
Several anti-pollution measures have been taken to reduce pollution levels and as a precautionary measure schools up to Class 5 in Delhi-NCR have switched to hybrid mode of teaching. This allows students to attend courses either online or in person, based on the availability of digital infrastructure such as computers and internet access at home.
