Capital takes its first breath of 'severe' air

Delhi recorded its first “severe” air quality day of the year on Tuesday, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 428, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

The air quality, which was in the “very poor” for the last several days, slipped into the “severe” zone early Tuesday morning as stagnant weather conditions and local emissions contributed to a spike in pollution levels.

This is the first time this year that Delhi’s AQI has entered the “severe” range. The last time the city’s air quality was this bad was in December 2024, the CPCB data showed.

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav directed all state and Union territory authorities in Delhi-NCR to submit concrete action-taken reports on their air pollution control efforts.