Air Quality Concerns in Delhi

Summary of Key Points Regarding Air Quality Management in Delhi and NCR

Institutional Oversight

• Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM): Responsible for air quality management in the National Capital Region (NCR) and surrounding areas.

Findings from Inspections

• Inspections Conducted: Flying squads inspected 136 road stretches maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
  • Dust Levels Detected:
    • High Dust: 15 stretches
    • Moderate Dust: 38 stretches
    • Low Dust: 61 stretches
    • No Dust: 22 stretches
• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW): Accumulation detected on 55 stretches.
• Construction and Demolition Waste: Found on 53 stretches.
• Open Burning of MSW/Biomass: Observed on 6 stretches.

Implications of Findings

• The CAQM criticized the DDA for negligence and highlighted the need for improved operational efficiency.
• Recommended timely dust mitigation interventions to enhance road maintenance and compliance with regulations concerning MSW and biomass burning.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Reports

• Current AQI Levels (as of December 14, 2025):
  • Recorded at 461 at 4 p.m., the highest this season.
  • Previous day's AQI was 431, categorized as ‘severe’.

AQI Categorization

• AQI Ranges:
  • 51-100: Satisfactory
  • 101-200: Moderate
  • 201-300: Poor
  • 301-400: Very Poor
  • 401-450: Severe
  • 451-500: Severe Plus

Wider Context of Air Quality

• Other regions in North India such as Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad, and Noida reported ‘severe plus’ AQI levels.
• Predictions indicate that air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category from December 15 to December 21, 2025.

Recommendations

• CAQM emphasized the importance of improving compliance across all areas and projecting open communication aimed at air quality management.

Conclusion

The findings underscore the critical need for systematic interventions in waste management and dust control to improve air quality in the NCR, an issue of significant concern for public health and environmental sustainability.