Delhi’s air quality experienced a slight improvement for the second day in a row on December 2, though it still fell in the ‘poor’ category with a morning Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 273. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s 24-hour average AQI on December 1 was 285, marking an advancement to the ‘poor’ range after 32 continuous days of ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ levels (AQI above 400).
The last time the air quality was considered ‘poor’ was on October 29, when the AQI was at 268. Experts credit this improvement to dry north-westerly winds and ample sunlight, which helped disperse pollutants. Nevertheless, the air quality is still not ideal, as an AQI between 201 and 300 poses health risks to sensitive groups.
The lack of dense fog has allowed sunlight to penetrate the atmosphere, aiding in pollutant dispersion, with the mixing height remaining relatively high. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius on December 2, which is 0.9 degrees above the seasonal average. The maximum temperature is anticipated to reach about 27 degrees Celsius, with humidity recorded at 89 percent at 8:30 a.m., according to the IMD.
On November 28, the Supreme Court ordered that Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) aimed at addressing severe air quality in Delhi would remain in effect until December 2. Public frustration regarding pollution is on the rise, with pollution-related complaints in the Delhi-NCR area increasing by 33 percent in 2024 compared to previous years, as highlighted by CPCB data. Between October 2021 and September 2023, there were 9,345 complaints filed on social media regarding pollution in the region.
This figure surged to 12,456 by September 2024, indicating a 33 percent increase. Despite the uptick in complaints, the resolution rates have seen only minimal improvement. Previously, 40 percent of grievances were resolved, but by 2024, 57 percent of complaints remain unresolved, according to CPCB data. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) received the highest number of complaints, totaling 3,238 in 2024, which is nearly a fourfold rise from 905 in the previous year.
Alarmingly, 88 percent of these complaints remain unresolved. The Delhi Jal Board recorded 778 complaints but managed to resolve only 22 percent. On the other hand, the Delhi Traffic Police had a resolution rate of 98 percent for their 596 complaints. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) addressed just five out of 116 complaints received, while the Delhi Cantonment Board left one complaint unresolved. Similar patterns are observed in other NCR areas such as Gurgaon and Ghaziabad.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon reported 1,937 complaints in 2024, an increase from 1,344 in the prior period, but only 38 percent were resolved. In Ghaziabad, the municipal body had a better response rate, resolving 84 percent of complaints. Delhi’s AQI soared to 419 on November 20, followed by 371 on November 21, 393 on November 22, 412 on November 23, and 318 on November 24.
The AQI categories are defined as follows: 0–50 is ‘good,’ 51–100 is ‘satisfactory,’ 101–200 is ‘moderate,’ 201–300 is ‘poor,’ 301–400 is ‘very poor,’ and 401–500 is ‘severe.’
