Delhi-NCR residents’ hopes for cleaner air were short-lived. After two days of marginal betterment, the AQI has deteriorated sharply, with vast areas slipping into severe pollution territory and Loni hitting a peak of 400.
Aggregated readings from authoritative sources confirm the slide. In the capital, AQI breaches 300 at key points: Wazirpur (375), Chandni Chowk (365), Siri Fort (359), Shadipur (355), Rohini (345), Ashok Vihar (342), Sonia Vihar (357), Vivek Vihar (344), Alipur (310), Bawana (312), Burari Crossing (321).
Ghaziabad’s crisis deepens with Loni’s 400, Indirapuram (355), Vasundhara (337), Sanjay Nagar (268). Noida sectors mirror the trend: 125 (328), 116 (284), 1 (275), 62 (268).
IMD attributes stagnation to light mist and stable temperatures (24-26°C high, 10-11°C low) forecast till February 13. Minimal air movement hinders pollutant dilution.
Specialists caution against complacency; sustained relief hinges on windier conditions or rain. Health advisories urge masks, reduced exposure, and indoor air purifiers. As winter persists, this flare-up intensifies pressure on policymakers to deploy GRAP stages and long-term fixes like green mobility.