As the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi and adjoining areas turns below 300 level on Monday after a gap of 26 days, the Supreme Court may have to consider it when it will decide whether to relax the Stage-IV restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) under ‘Severe+’ category (above 450 AQI) in force since November 18. However, the AQI started moving up soon and reached 324 level by afternoon. The average daily AQI was 268 on October 29.

At 8 am Monday the AQI in Delhi recorded 281, but deteriorated to 285 by 9 am, 292 by 10 am and 294 by 11 am, according to data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 2 pm, the average AQI in Delhi was 324.

The Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) has classified the air quality under four stages: Stage 1 - ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300), Stage 2 - ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400), Stage 3 - ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450) and Stage 4 - ‘severe plus’ (AQI above 450) and restrictions have been prescribed accordingly.

The CAQM last week revised the GRAP guidelines, mandating the closure of schools in Delhi and NCR districts (Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar) under Stages 3 and 4 of the plan. Earlier, the decision to implement these measures was left to the discretion of the State governments.

At 11 am, Monday, out of 38 spots in Delhi for which data were available, Shadipur Depot recorded the maximum AQI at 363 whereas the lowest was 230 at Lodi Road, according to CPCB. Only 17 places reported AQI above 300 level including two spots where it was above 350.

But, by 2 pm, the highest AQI 392 was reported from Mundka and the lowest remained at Lodi Road at 232. As many as 28 places reported AQI above 300 level.

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