Delhi's air quality improves slightly, moves to 'very poor' from 'severe'

The air quality of Delhi improved to 'very poor' from the 'severe' category on Sunday, with the AQI being recorded at 338.

The air quality of Delhi has improved to 'very poor' from the 'severe' category on Sunday, with the AQI being recorded at 338.

The air quality index of neighbouring areas of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida was recorded at 312, 368, 301 and 357, respectively.

The overall air quality index of Delhi was recorded at 338 at 9.05 am. In Delhi, the air quality index of Lodhi Road, Pusa Road, Chandni Chowk and Delhi airport was recorded at 295, 313, 352 and 321 respectively, according to the Sameer app.

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".

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday had announced various emergency measures, including closure of schools for one week, ban on construction activities work from home at government offices, to deal with the pollution crisis faced by the city.

Kejriwal after an emergency meeting told reporters that his government would also present a plan of lockdown before the Supreme Court.

Authorities on Friday had advised people to limit outdoor activities and told government and private offices to cut vehicle use by at least 30 per cent as air quality in Delhi-NCR inched towards the emergency level amid a rise in emissions from farm fires and unfavourable meteorological conditions.

A sub-committee on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) said meteorological conditions will be highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants till November 18 and agencies concerned must be fully ready to implement measures under "emergency" category.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 10.1, three notches below the season's average, on Sunday.

The relative humidity recorded at 8.30 am was 83 per cent.

The weather office has predicted a mainly clear sky with moderate fog in the morning with a maximum temperature expected to be around 26 degrees Celsius.