Delhi’s air quality entered the “poor” category on Wednesday morning, October 21, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 227 around 7:05 am. The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) forecast poor air through Friday, October 23, with its outlook indicating that conditions could remain poor over the following six days as well.
AQI Rises From 179; Two Stations Record “Very Poor” Air
Delhi’s AQI rose from 179 on Tuesday to 227 on Wednesday morning. Jahangirpuri recorded an AQI of 308 and Pusa 314, both in the “very poor” category. Under the Central Pollution Control Board’s scale, readings from 201 to 300 are classified as “poor,” while 301 to 400 are “very poor.”
Fireworks and Farm Fires Add to Pollution Concerns
Dussehra celebrations on Tuesday included effigy burning and fireworks in parts of Delhi. These activities produce smoke and fine particles, but their specific contribution to Wednesday’s AQI has not been established. Traffic, road dust and waste burning also contribute to pollution.
Crop-residue burning remains a seasonal concern. ICAR’s Indian Agricultural Research Institute recorded 98 paddy-residue fire incidents across six monitored states on October 19. The cumulative count from September 15 to October 19 was 1,171 incidents.
Cooler Nights and Weather Conditions May Slow Dispersion
As temperatures fall and wind conditions change, pollutants can disperse more slowly near the ground. A government modelling system estimated that stubble burning contributed 4.1% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Tuesday. That share could rise depending on the number of fires and wind direction.
Winter Pollution Measures Begin November 1
Delhi’s winter pollution framework is scheduled to run from November 1 to February 28. Measures include the “No PUC, No Fuel” rule, restrictions on certain non-BS-VI vehicles registered outside Delhi, tighter controls on construction dust and work-from-home provisions. The plan will operate alongside the Commission for Air Quality Management’s Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which sets progressively stricter measures as air quality worsens.
