Delhi air 'very poor' as minister reviews measures to ease pollution

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was 310 --'poor'-- at 8 am, according to the state-run SAFAR

Delhi's air was unhealthy on Monday as state environment minister Gopal Rai meets with senior advisors to review  pollution measures in the national capital.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was 310 --'poor'-- at 8 am, according to the state-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). Readings below 50 are considered safe, while anything above 300 is considered hazardous or 'severe'.

Rai will hold a meeting to review the air pollution situation in the capital. This comes after the Supreme court on Friday took note of a slight improvement in air pollution level in Delhi-NCR and permitted the panel to take a decision on representations seeking an easing of curbs on construction activities among others, within a week.

This should be noted that Supreme Court's directive came after Delhi air had improved and jumped to the poor category on Thursday with an AQI of 208.

Currently, all educational institutions are closed in the national capital, while construction activities and entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into Delhi are banned.

Delhi's air quality in November was the worst in seven years, data showed. The national capital's air quality became worse after Diwali on November 4 as people violated a ban on bursting firecrackers while the pollution compounded due to an increase in stubble burning by farmers in areas adjoining the national capital.

Delhi was this morning the world's second most polluted city with an AQI of 293, said iQair, a website that tracks air pollution worldwide. The only Indian city in the list of the world's top ten most polluted cities was Mumbai at the ninth spot with an AQI of 165.