Delhi's AQI remains 'very poor'; world's second most polluted city today

After slipping into the 'severe' category on Thursday evening, Delhi's air on Friday morning was 'very poor' with an overall AQI of 329. 

The AQI of Delhi was 329 at 8 AM, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecast agency SAFAR. The neighbouring cities of Noida (351), and Gurugram (324) also reported "very poor" air quality.

Readings below 50 are considered safe, 51 and 100 are "satisfactory" and anything above 300 is considered hazardous or "severe".

On Friday, Delhi was the world's second most polluted city worldwide, with an AQI of 198, according to IQAir. Kolkata was the only other Indian city on the list at the fifth spot with an AQI of 175. Pakistan's Lahore was the top most polluted city worldwide, with an AQI of 441.

The air quality in the national capital started deteriorating on October 24 with the AQI slipping to the 'very poor' category from 'poor'.

Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) on October 25, a day after Diwali, was at 312, which was the second best for the Diwali day in seven years. Before this, the city had recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018.

The Delhi government has taken several measures to contain the pollution in the capital this time. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said last week that 408 teams had been formed to ensure the effective implementation of the ban on firecrackers. The Delhi Police set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, while the revenue department has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.