Delhi air quality in ‘very poor’ category, AQI touches 370

Pic/PTI

Delhi breathed 'very poor' air on Friday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 370, a marginal drop from 391 the day before, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Earlier, officials predicted that the air quality could slip into the 'severe' category.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

A total of 23 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded 'very poor' air quality while 13 recorded 'severe' pollution levels, the CPCB's Sameer app showed.

Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 442. R K Puram, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Jahangir Puri and Rohini recorded readings above 400.

The city had recorded an AQI of 391 at 4 pm on November 20. Despite the slight improvement, the city's air quality continued to remain in the ' very poor' category.

According to CPCB data, IGI Airport T3 recorded an AQI of 307, while ITO recorded 378. The Air Quality Index at Punjabi Bagh stood at 379.

According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.

Areas such as India Gate, Akshardham and Kartavya Path were engulfed in dense smog on Friday morning.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 11.2 degrees Celsius, 1.1 notches below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The relative humidity stood at 97 per cent.

The IMD has forecast mainly clear skies during the day. The maximum temperature is expected to settle at 27 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday told the Delhi Government that schoolchildren should not be made to play outdoor sports during the highly polluted winter months from November to January. Justice Sachin Datta, while hearing a plea filed by minor students, said the authorities were failing to protect children's health and must change the annual sports calendar so that no outdoor events are held during these toxic months.

Additionally, the Supreme Court directed that construction workers who have been out of work since the implementation of GRAP-3 in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan must be provided a subsistence allowance.

Hearing the air pollution case, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai directed the governments of the aforesaid states to implement preventive measures to reduce air pollution and to ensure that their reviews are regularly conducted. The Supreme Court has also stated that matters concerning air pollution must be listed monthly.

In view of the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III was implemented on November 11 across the national capital by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The measures aim to control emissions through stricter restrictions on construction, vehicular movement, and industrial operations.