Delhi saw a slight improvement in air quality on December 1 as the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 285 on Sunday, which was marked in the “poor” category, the first such occurrence since October 29.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the improvement was was aided by sunny weather and favourable wind conditions that helped disperse pollutants.
The month of November painted a grim picture for Delhi’s air quality when the city witnessed two days in the “Severe plus” category (AQI above 450), and six days in the “Severe” range (AQI between 401-450).
The remaining 22 days, the air was in the “Very poor” category (AQI between 301-400). November 27 recorded the cleanest day with an AQI of 303, while November 18 saw the air quality plummet to 494, the worst ever recorded in Delhi’s history, tying with a similar record on November 3, 2019.
This year, 2024, stands out starkly as the most polluted in the past seven years. Not a single day in November saw AQI drop below 300, which highlights the city’s air pollution challenges.