Delhi's Air Quality Nears 'Severe' Category as AQI Approaches 400

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained constant at 391 between 9 AM and 12 noon on Friday. By 3 PM, the AQI eased slightly to 384, though 27 out of 57 monitoring stations recorded an AQI of over 400, with the highest reaching 457.

In response to the deteriorating conditions, the Sub-Committee on GRAP of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to invoke GRAP III in the Delhi-NCR region as a precautionary measure. Previously, the committee had invoked GRAP I on October 21 and GRAP II on November 2, alongside orders allowing half of government and private office staff to work from home during November 5-20.

The CAQM classifies air quality under the Graded Response Action Plan into four stages: Stage 1 for 'poor' (AQI 201-300), Stage 2 for 'very poor' (AQI 301-400), Stage 3 for 'severe' (AQI 401-450), and Stage 4 for 'severe plus' (AQI above 450), with specific restrictions prescribed for each stage.

Addressing the contribution of stubble burning, M L Jat, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), noted that there has been a drastic fall in crop residue burning cases over the last five years. However, he acknowledged that pollution remains a concern, pointing out that despite only 80 cases recorded in Haryana compared to thousands five years ago, the state remains engulfed in polluted air.

According to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) "Air Quality and Weather Bulletin" issued at 1:30 PM, the air quality is likely to remain in the 'Very Poor' category and turn 'severe' during November 7-9, with similar conditions expected for the subsequent six days.

The IMD forecast also indicated that surface wind speeds will reach up to 10 kmph from the northeast direction during evening and night hours on Friday and Saturday. With the apex court allowing the bursting of firecrackers, emissions from Diwali celebrations could further increase the pollution load. Additionally, ventilation indices and mixing depths are projected to remain at levels unfavourable for the dispersion of pollutants.

Hearing a suo motu case examining the regulatory framework governing air pollution, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana expressed concern over bumper-to-bumper traffic in Delhi-NCR. "We keep talking, sometimes make statements and suggestions, but the point is that AQI is already touching 400," the bench noted during the proceedings.

"Environmental regulations and worsening air quality metrics directly impact business continuity, workplace attendance, and employee productivity in the Delhi-NCR region. When authorities enforce restrictions such as work-from-home mandates and GRAP measures, businesses must adapt quickly to operational disruptions. Companies operating in urban centers need to build robust continuity plans that account for seasonal environmental challenges and regulatory interventions." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes