There has been no consistent improvement in Delhi’s winter air quality over the past four years, despite the imposition of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), according to an analysis of government data by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Finland-based non-profit research organisation.
“Delhi’s winter AQI (Air Quality Index) has fluctuated over the past four years, with no consistent improvement. The mean AQI rose from 280 in winter 2022–23 to 304 in 2023–24, fell to 285 in 2024–25 and increased again to 295 in 2025–26. The median AQI followed a similar pattern, rising from 294 to 324, falling to 289 and then increasing to 305,” CREA said in a statement.
A higher AQI indicates poorer air quality.
Delhi’s winter air quality has not followed a consistent downward trend since the 2022 revision of GRAP, and the mean and median AQI for the latest winter were both higher than in 2022–23, said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at CREA.
The mean and median of the AQI are statistical measures used to summarize air quality data over a specific period. Because AQI levels can fluctuate wildly due to weather changes or pollution spikes, these two metrics tell different stories about the air you breathe.
GRAP comprises short-term emergency measures to reduce air pollution and is divided into four stages, depending on the level of pollution recorded or forecast for the near future. The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) announces the different stages based on air quality forecasts.
Every winter, air pollution levels rise in Delhi-NCR and several parts of the larger Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), mainly due to meteorological factors such as lower wind speeds and falling temperatures. Stubble burning during October and November, along with firecracker emissions, further worsens pollution.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Thursday.
The 24-hour average AQI stood at 223 (poor) at 4 p.m. on Thursday, down from 245 (poor) a day earlier, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin, which provides the official AQI for the day.
CAQM reviews stubble
The CAQM held separate review meetings with the governments of Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh on Thursday to assess measures to prevent and control paddy stubble burning and reduce other major sources of air pollution. It directed the States to take prompt action on the ground.
The Commission emphasised the need to strengthen the crop-residue supply chain and ensure the effective utilisation of available machinery during the peak harvesting period. The meetings also covered field verification of burnt-area assessments based on satellite fire alerts, along with the district-wise deployment of drones and low-cost sensors to monitor stubble-burning incidents.
“Paddy stubble management should be pursued not merely as a measure to prevent burning, but as an opportunity to improve the well-being of citizens while fostering a robust industrial ecosystem of a circular economy, with greater utilization of paddy straw as a resource,” an official statement said.
The Commission also called for prompt action on the ground and cautioned district administrations that any laxity leading to an increase in stubble-burning incidents would be “viewed seriously”.
Published - October 23, 2026 01:06 am IST