New Delhi, Jan 11 (.) A cold wave swept across the national capital on Sunday, but it failed to bring any relief from severe air pollution, with air quality remaining in the “very poor” category across most parts of the city.
As per IMD officials, cold wave conditions were realised over Delhi as Palam, Ridge and Ayanagar reported minimum temperatures less than 4.1 degrees centigrade. Cold wave conditions are likely to continue tomorrow as well with a yellow alert.
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) at hazardous levels, mainly due to high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Jahangirpuri recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 342, while Anand Vihar followed closely at 339.
Several other areas also reported very poor air quality on Sunday morning. At 9 am, Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 330, Wazirpur 326, Rohini 317 and Vivek Vihar 317. Bawana and Dwarka also remained polluted, with AQI readings of 306 and 307, respectively.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cold conditions intensified overnight. The minimum temperature at Palam dropped to 3 degrees Celsius, while Safdarjung recorded 4.8 degrees Celsius. Dense fog reduced visibility, with Palam reporting visibility as low as 200 metres and Safdarjung around 600 metres.
Air quality further deteriorated later in the day. On January 10, the AQI recorded at 4 pm stood at 346, with pollution dominated by PM10 particles across several monitoring stations in the city.
Health experts warn that prolonged exposure to “very poor” air quality can trigger breathing problems and aggravate existing respiratory diseases, particularly among children and the elderly.
Meanwhile, cold weather conditions continue to prevail across northern India, with dense fog affecting early morning hours and disrupting normal life in several regions.
. PKJ ARN
