Worst November Air Quality in Delhi Since 2021

This November was one of the most polluted months ever for Delhi, coming in just behind November 2021. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) this month was 375, just slightly better than last month’s 376. For the first time, the AQI never dropped below 300 all month!

Delhi’s residents had to deal with eight ‘severe’ days, including two days classified as ‘severe-plus.’ Without any rain this month, local and nearby pollution sources made the air quality get worse. The worst day happened on November 18, when the AQI shot up to 494, making it the second most polluted day ever in the city.

Anumita Roychowdhury, a leader at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “It’s worrying that air pollution in the winter is getting worse. We need to focus on controlling pollution all year round, not just in Delhi but in the entire National Capital Region and beyond.”

Comparing this November to last year’s average AQI of 373 shows just how bad the situation is. In previous years, the AQIs were much lower, highlighting the growing problem.

Dipankar Saha, a former head at the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), explained that there hasn’t been much rain to help settle the pollution. He urged that without addressing emissions, things will only get more complicated in winter.

This year’s bad air quality comes right after October recorded dangerously high pollution levels, making it the worst since 2020.

The CPCB breaks down AQI levels to let people understand air quality: 0-50 is ‘good,’ 51-100 is ‘satisfactory,’ 101-200 is ‘moderate,’ 201-300 is ‘poor,’ 301-400 is ‘very poor,’ and over 400 is ‘severe.’