Delhi Air Pollution: Air Quality Remains In 'Very Poor' Category As Smog Covers National Capital

Delhi-NCR was blanketed by a thick layer of smog on Saturday morning and the air quality remained in the 'very poor' category.

A metro train runs on its track as vehicles ply on a road amid smog, at Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi

Source : PTI

Delhi on Saturday morning was engulfed by a layer of smog as the air quality remained in the 'very poor' category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at 7 AM in Delhi-NCR was recorded at 314. The temperature recorded at 5:30 AM today stood at 13 degrees Celsius, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 8.5 degrees Celsius which is one notch below the season's average, as reported by news agency PTI.

The pollution situation for the national capital is not likely to improve much till Monday as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted no rainfall in the region till then. Delhi's skyline till Monday is forecast to be mostly clear, with shallow to moderate fog.

News agency ANI shared visuals from across Delhi-NCR this morning. Images from the Akshardham area, AIIMS and its nearby localities, and Vijay Chowk showed a thick layer of smog covering the national capital.

This visual was shot near the Akshardham area.

#WATCH | Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the 'Very Poor' category in parts of Delhi, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

(Visuals from the area around Akshardham, shot at 6:55 am) pic.twitter.com/2WyhvVPeRr

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2023

The visual below was shot near the AIIMS area at 7:20 am.

#WATCH | Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the 'Very Poor' category in parts of Delhi, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

(Visuals from the area around AIIMS shot at 7:20 am) pic.twitter.com/vPwVYYXFkH

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2023

ANI also shared the visual from the Vijay Chowk area. 

#WATCH | Air Quality Index (AQI) remains in the 'Very Poor' category in parts of Delhi, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

(Visuals from Vijay Chowk, shot at 6:50 am) pic.twitter.com/8ZiV5PHDte

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2023

The said news agency also shared visuals from the Lodhi Road area where the AQI was recorded in the 'poor' category.

#WATCH | Delhi | Air quality in Lodhi Road area remains in 'Poor' category as per SAFAR-India. Visuals from the area shot around 6:43 am. pic.twitter.com/PH4yDaMcIQ

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2023

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI on Friday stood at 349 at 7 am, reported CNBC TV18.  The air quality index in the city on Thursday was recorded at 276, as per SAFAR. It improved from an AQI of 286 on Wednesday and 297 on Tuesday, according to news agency PTI.

The air quality index started to improve from Tuesday and went on till Thursday, but, again the national capital witnessed a sudden spike on Friday.

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 was the most polluted city in the world in November according to Swiss group IQAir when the AQI touched 412. Apart from Delhi, two other Indian cities were also on the list of the Top 10 most polluted cities in the world. Kolkata ranked on the 6th position in the list and Mumbai stood at the eighth position.