Gurgaon: The city recorded its most polluted Feb since air quality monitoring began in 2016. There were no ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ days and the monthly average AQI touched 256, placing the entire month in the ‘poor’ category this month.Data compiled from daily readings between 2016 and 2026 shows this Feb overtook all previous years. The earlier Feb peak stood at 236 in 2020, followed by 231 in 2017 and 231 in 2023.This year’s 256 also marked a steep rise from Feb 2025’s average of 186.5 and last year’s 201. Two days slipped into the ‘very poor’ bracket, with AQI crossing 300 multiple times. Feb 4 recorded 334, while Feb 24 logged 307. Mid-month too saw sustained elevated levels, with readings hovering close to or above 300 on consecutive days.Feb averages over the years show how sharp this spike was. The city recorded about 215 in 2018, dipped to nearly 167 in 2019, climbed to around 237 in 2020, settled near 226 in 2021, dropped to about 211 in 2022, rose again to roughly 231 in 2023, fell to around 202 in 2024, declined further to about 186 in 2025, before jumping to 256 this year.For residents, the numbers mean winter pollution did not ease even as temperatures began to rise. Feb is typically a transition month when improving wind speeds and higher daytime temperatures help disperse pollutants. This year, however, poor air persisted well beyond the peak winter period.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. Central Pollution Control Board guidelines say that when AQI is in the ‘moderate’ category, there can be breathing discomfort for people with asthma and lung or heart disease.Health experts flagged the implications. Critical care and pulmonology head at CK Birla Hospital (Gurgaon) Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover said, “Sustained short-term exposure (hours to days) to elevated AQI primarily induces respiratory distress, asthma exacerbations, acute cardiovascular events and hospital admissions, particularly in children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing lung conditions.”Meanwhile, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials said the suspension of road dust due to vehicular traffic and waste burning was a special concern in the city.Gurgaon: The city recorded its most polluted Feb since air quality monitoring began in 2016. There were no ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ days and the monthly average AQI touched 256, placing the entire month in the ‘poor’ category this month.Data compiled from daily readings between 2016 and 2026 shows this Feb overtook all previous years. The earlier Feb peak stood at 236 in 2020, followed by 231 in 2017 and 231 in 2023. This year’s 256 also marked a steep rise from Feb 2025’s average of 186.5 and last year’s 201. Two days slipped into the ‘very poor’ bracket, with AQI crossing 300 multiple times. Feb 4 recorded 334, while Feb 24 logged 307. Mid-month too saw sustained elevated levels, with readings hovering close to or above 300 on consecutive days.Feb averages over the years show how sharp this spike was. The city recorded about 215 in 2018, dipped to nearly 167 in 2019, climbed to around 237 in 2020, settled near 226 in 2021, dropped to about 211 in 2022, rose again to roughly 231 in 2023, fell to around 202 in 2024, declined further to about 186 in 2025, before jumping to 256 this year.For residents, the numbers mean winter pollution did not ease even as temperatures began to rise. Feb is typically a transition month when improving wind speeds and higher daytime temperatures help disperse pollutants. This year, however, poor air persisted well beyond the peak winter period.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. Central Pollution Control Board guidelines say that when AQI is in the ‘moderate’ category, there can be breathing discomfort for people with asthma and lung or heart disease.Health experts flagged the implications. Critical care and pulmonology head at CK Birla Hospital (Gurgaon) Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover said, “Sustained short-term exposure (hours to days) to elevated AQI primarily induces respiratory distress, asthma exacerbations, acute cardiovascular events and hospital admissions, particularly in children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing lung conditions.”Meanwhile, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials said the suspension of road dust due to vehicular traffic and waste burning was a special concern in the city.
