Delhi-NCR confronts an environmental Armageddon – record-shattering AQI above 450 amid the thickest fog in years and unrelenting Arctic cold sweeping the region.
Real-time data from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) apps showed catastrophe unfolding: Sonia Vihar peaked at 485 AQI, making it among the world’s most polluted urban spots momentarily. PM10 and PM2.5 levels defied safe limits by 15-20 times.
Travel ground to a virtual halt. Metro ridership paradoxically surged despite advisories, while buses crawled at walking speeds. Airports battled with CAT III landing systems pushed to limits, diverting international flights to Jaipur and Lucknow.
Contributing culprits form a toxic cocktail: 40% from farm fires (satellite imagery confirmed 5,000+ hotspots), 30% vehicular exhaust despite CNG dominance, balance from dust, industry, and biomass burning. Temperature inversion – warmer air aloft trapping cold polluted air below – sealed the trap.
Mercury plunged to seasonal lows of 3.5°C, with ‘cold day’ conditions persisting. Frost warnings issued for rural NCR belts, impacting early winter crops.
Draconian GRAP-IV measures activated: no new project approvals, 100% parking fee hikes to deter cars, mandatory work-from-home for 50% central government staff. Enforcement teams razed illegal constructions spewing dust.
Public health hangs by thread. ENT specialists note surge in sinusitis cases; pulmonologists brace for COPD exacerbations. Authorities distributed 1 lakh free masks targeting slums.
Extended range forecasts predict fog-fueled pollution stasis through mid-week, easing marginally post-weekend. This episode reinforces imperative for policy overhauls – satellite monitoring of stubble fires, subsidized machinery for farmers, stricter BS-VI compliance verification. Until then, every NCR breath carries invisible poison.