Delhi's air quality dips to 'very poor', likely to deteriorate further

Delhi's air quality dipped to the very poor category on Monday due to low wind speed and temperatures and is likely to deteriorate further, authorities said.

The city's 24-hour average air quality index read 331, up from 254 on Saturday.

Neighbouring Faridabad (317), Ghaziabad (310), Greater Noida (272), Gurugram (253) and Noida (312) recorded their air quality in the "poor to very poor" range.

An AQI between zero 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".

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecast agency SAFAR said moderate wind speed and partly cloudy conditions are likely to keep air quality within the "lower" end of the "very poor" for the next two days.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, and a maximum temperature of 22.4 degrees Celsius.

Earlier in the day, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the ban on construction and the entry of trucks, barring CNG, e-trucks and those engaged in essential services, will continue till further orders in view of a forecast about further deterioration of air quality in the national capital.

The government will review the construction ban on December 16, Rai told reporters after a meeting with officials of the departments concerned.

The minister said the education department has sent a proposal to the environment department, seeking immediate reopening of schools and coaching centres for students of Class 6 and above, and in colleges.

For children of Class 5 and below, the education department has suggested reopening schools from December 20, he said.