AQI remains in the severe category today: Moderate air quality was not seen even once in December, and the situation is much worse this year.

A thick layer of smog blankets the national capital, Delhi. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) today is 463, which falls into the 'severe' category. The video is from Anand Vihar.

December is almost over, but Delhi's air remains toxic. This month, there hasn't been a single day when the Air Quality Index (AQI) has been below 200. Delhi residents haven't even experienced moderately clean air throughout December. According to official CPCB data, there have been approximately 20 days in December so far when the air quality has been in the red zone.

According to the CPCB, air is considered moderate only when the AQI is below 200, but not a single day this month has recorded such a level. In contrast, the situation was somewhat better during the same period last year. In December 2024, there were six days in Delhi when the air quality was 'moderate'.

In December 2024, the AQI was below 200 for a total of eight days. Eight days were recorded in the 'poor' category and six days in the 'severe' category. According to the data, between December 1st and 7th last year, Delhi's air was mostly in the moderate to poor category. There was only one day when the AQI crossed 300, reaching the 'very poor' category, but the situation improved the very next day.

This year, the situation in December is far worse. From December 1st to 8th, the AQI was consistently above 300, meaning the air was continuously very poor. There was a brief respite for only two days when the AQI dropped to the 'poor' category, but from December 11th onwards, pollution returned to the red zone and has remained there since. Except for these two days, Delhi's air has been in the very poor category for most of the month. According to CPCB standards, air quality is considered 'good' when the AQI is between 0 and 50, 'satisfactory' between 51 and 100, 'moderate' between 101 and 200, 'poor' between 201 and 300, 'very poor' between 301 and 400, and 'severe' between 401 and 500.