Delhi's air quality hits crisis point with AQI of 494; stringent curbs rolled out

Delhi's air quality has plummeted to alarming levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to a hazardous 494 on Monday, the second-worst in six years.

- AIMAN FATIMA

As the city's residents struggled to breathe, the toxic air was accompanied by itchy eyes, sore throats, and difficulty breathing, leaving many in dire health distress. Doctors have issued severe warnings, stating that the pollution poses significant risks even to healthy individuals, not just those in vulnerable groups.

Dr Rajat Sharma, a Resident Doctor of Community Medicine at UCMS & GTB Hospital, highlighted the severity of thesituation: "At this level of pollution, wearing an N95 mask is not an option but a necessity. Even healthy individuals can fall victim to respiratory illnesses and face other health complications," he said. The harmful effects of PM2.5-the fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream are a major cause for concern. By 6 pm on Monday, PM10 levels were recorded at a dangerous 582 µg/m³.

As the situation escalated, the Supreme Court intervened, criticising the authorities for their delay in implementing stricter pollution control measures under the fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

"The delay in invoking these measures is a wrong approach.

The commission cannot wait for improvement in weather conditions; immediate action is necessary," the bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih remarked. The court ruled that Stage 4 measures would remain in effect even if the AQI falls below 450, instructing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to provide compliance reports by Thursday.

"We make it clear that till further orders are passed by this court, implementation of stage 4 of GRAP will continue even if AQI level drops below 450," the bench said.