The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi: Delhi recorded a slight improvement in air quality on Monday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 366 around 8 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Despite the marginal dip, air quality across the capital continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category.
On Sunday, the AQI was recorded at 377 at 4 pm. However, large parts of the city remained blanketed in dense smog on Monday morning, indicating persistent pollution levels.
Areas such as ITO reported an AQI of 370, while thick smog was also observed around India Gate, Kartavya Path, and Sarai Kale Khan. Several localities, including Mundka (400), Shadipur (306), Sonia Vihar (370), and Alipur (391), recorded ‘very poor’ air quality. Delhi Technological University (DTU) also reported an AQI of 400.
Meanwhile, air quality worsened in certain pockets of the city. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 402, placing it in the ‘severe’ category. Similar readings were reported from Wazirpur (404), Bawana (408), and Narela (418).
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 301 and 400 is classified as ‘very poor’, while readings above 400 fall under the ‘severe’ category.
In response to ongoing pollution concerns, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) imposed fines totalling ₹54.98 lakh in December on violators involved in biomass burning, illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste, and other related offences.
According to an official release, the MCD issued 7,023 challans amounting to ₹43.26 lakh for illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste. Additionally, fines worth approximately ₹11.72 lakh were imposed on 420 individuals for burning biomass and garbage across various zones.
The MCD stated that extra machinery, sanitation workers, and waste-collection vehicles have been deployed to clean garbage-vulnerable points. Around 500 secondary waste collection points are being cleared nightly, with the process monitored on a daily basis.
