Overview
- CAQM escalated from Stage III in the morning to Stage IV by evening after Delhi’s AQI climbed from around 401 to 441–452, with hotspots such as Wazirpur and Anand Vihar recording ‘severe’ readings.
- Stage IV measures halt construction and demolition, restrict truck entry and other diesel goods vehicles, extend remote or hybrid schooling beyond primary grades, and allow offices to operate with 50% staff.
- Authorities reported PM2.5 as the predominant pollutant while IMD cited low wind speeds, a stable atmosphere and high moisture that trapped emissions and cut visibility.
- Severe conditions extended across the NCR, with Noida and Ghaziabad also crossing 400; Delhi airport operated under low-visibility procedures with flights running normally.
- Parliamentary attention grew as Rahul Gandhi sought a Lok Sabha debate and a standing committee urged upgrades and fairer distribution of monitoring stations, alongside reported allegations about data manipulation that require scrutiny.