Delhi's air quality worsens further, AQI recorded at 342

Delhi’s air quality remained in the very poor category for the second consecutive day on Monday, with the AQI being recorded at 342.

The air quality index of Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon and Noida stood at 328, 340, 326 and 328 respectively, at 9:05 am.

A visible improvement in Delhi’s air quality was recorded on Sunday, although it was in the very poor category.

The national capital recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 330 on Sunday as against 473 the previous day, as emissions from farm fires in Haryana and Punjab dropped significantly.

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.

Also read: Toxic air: Delhi shuts schools & construction, begins WFH after SC suggests lockdown

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday had said that his department issued a notification for effective implementation of the emergency measures announced by the city government to tackle air pollution. He also said that the AAP government will submit a proposal on clamping a lockdown, in view of the rising air pollution in the national capital and its modalities to the Supreme Court on Monday.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 10.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below the seasons average, on Monday morning. The relative humidity stood at 90 percent at 8:30 am.

The Supreme Court had called the toxic air pollution in Delhi-NCR an “emergency” situation on Saturday, and had asked the Centre and state to take urgent steps to improve the air quality.

The court had suggested steps such as stopping vehicles and clamping a lockdown in the capital, and pointed out that the situation of pollution is so bad that people are wearing masks even inside their houses.

Also read: Suffocating smog thickens in Delhi-NCR; AQI at 471 is season’s worst

After the SC hauled up the administration, Kejriwal announced that schools would shift to online classes from Monday, all construction activity in the city will be shut down, and government offices will work from home.

(With inputs from Agencies)