Delhi Chokes as Air Quality Slips Back to ‘Severe’ Despite Revocation of GRAP-IV Curbs

Delhi's air quality continues to battle between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories as thick smog engulfed the city, affecting visibility throughout Saturday.

As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data at 4 pm, Delhi’s AQI recorded was 385, with PM2.5 being the prominent pollutant present in the air. Earlier, Saturday morning, Delhi’s AQI slipped to very poor category at 350.

Meanwhile, many parts of the city recorded 'severe' levels of air quality in the day. In Vivek Vihar AQI reached 440, closely followed by Jahangirpuri and Wazirpur, where AQI escalated to 434 and 425 respectively.

CAQM had revoked GRAP 4 curbs on Wednesday with AQI showing marginal improvements across the city.

Reacting to the action by CAQM in revoking the GRAP 4, Manu Singh, Environmentalist, said, “Revoking GRAP-IV within days of marginal improvement in air quality exposes a painful truth that we are far more eager to declare victory than to protect lives. Air does not heal the way a wound closes overnight, pollution lingers, settles, and returns often faster than our systems can respond.”

He said that lifting of the curbs within a day of improvements, do not help the cause but take it back to square on the next day. “When restrictions are lifted the moment AQI numbers look 'comfortable,' it feels less like science guiding policy and more like exhaustion and convenience taking over. Every time this happens, the city is pushed back into the same slow suffocation we claim to fight. Clean air is treated as an event, not a responsibility, and the lungs of children, the elderly, and those with asthma pay the price for this impatience,” Singh stated.