Delhi air quality hits 'severe' category with AQI of 483 after Diwali celebrations
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Pollution (air, water, plastic)· Prelims·
Environmental governance and emergency measures: a GS3 case study on air pollution management.
Why in news
Delhi's air quality reached the 'severe' category with an AQI of 483 reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) following Diwali celebrations.
Background
The city is currently under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Facts for Prelims
- BodyCentral Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is the official body reporting AQI in India
- SchemeGraded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is the emergency measure for air pollution in NCR
- FactCPCB AQI scale is designed from 0 to 500, where values above 500 are reported as 500+
- PlaceShahdara and Defence Colony recorded AQI levels above 1,000 according to IQAir
Prelims practice question
Which body is the official authority responsible for reporting the Air Quality Index (AQI) in India?
- (a)Central Pollution Control Board
- (b)State Pollution Control Board
- (c)Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- (d)National Green Tribunal
Show answer
Answer: (a) Central Pollution Control Board — The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is the official body reporting AQI in India.
For Mains
Q. Critically analyze the limitations of the current AQI framework in communicating public health risks during extreme pollution events in the National Capital Region.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Methodological discrepancy: Variance between CPCB's 0-500 scale and private proprietary health-risk indices
- Communication gap: AQI's role as a public health tool vs. its limitation in reflecting actual PM2.5 concentration spikes
- Regulatory friction: Effectiveness of Stage III GRAP restrictions against localized high-intensity pollution sources
Keywords: Air Quality Index · Graded Response Action Plan · PM2.5 concentration · Public health communication · Environmental governance
More Environment & Ecology notes
- Punjab records sharpest single-day spike with 1,152 paddy stubble-burning fires on November 8 · 9 November 2026
- New Delhi smog hits "severe" levels as Diwali firecrackers push AQI past 350 · 9 November 2026
- Bhavreen Kandhari alleges government data lacks authenticity as Delhi AQI hits 373 · 9 November 2026
- Global fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions expected to reach record 38.1 billion tonnes in 2025 · 8 November 2026
- University of Calicut Botanical Garden designated as Keralam’s second biodiversity heritage site · 7 November 2026
- Supreme Court terms vehicle and construction bans as “old, tried and failed tools” · 7 November 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.