Suspended particulates dispersed a little today which saw the city's air quality improve a shade and settle in the 'very poor' category under a distinct cover of haze.
The National Air Quality Index (NAQI) of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) put the city's air in the 'very poor' category with a reading of 373.
Yesterday, it was 'severe' with a reading of 427.
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SAFAR said the level ofPM2.5 (24hour average), particulates measuring less than 2.5 microns, was 255 micrograms per cubic metre.
It is expected to dip further to 210 tomorrow.
The prescribed standards of PM2.5 and PM10 are 60 and 100 respectively.
The agency said that the national capital experienced the season's best quality air between December 15 and December 20 but pollutants started rapidly building up from December 21 mainly due to pollutant-laden wind from the Indo-Gangetic Plains and sudden fall in wind speed.
"There was a sudden fall in wind speed (from 16km/h on December 21 to around 1km/hr on December 24) which combined with dip in minimum temperature (fallen from 11 deg C on December 20 to 8 degrees C on December 24) and spiked level of pollutants," a SAFAR scientist said.
"People with existing heart or lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, or ischemic heart disease should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion; Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion," the agency said in a statement.
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