Air quality in Delhi slips into ‘very poor’ category

Delhi's air quality slipped into the "very poor" category on Sunday. The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 315, deteriorating from 292 on October 25, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Despite an overall improvement, air pollution remained severe in certain areas. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 421, placing it in the “severe” category. Across the city, 29 monitoring stations continued to report “very poor” air quality, with AQI readings above 300.

The CPCB classifies air quality based on AQI levels: 0-50 is “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.

The weather appeared to influence the temporary improvement in air quality. Sunday saw the minimum temperature drop to 15.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded in October in the last two years. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this was 1.4 degrees below the seasonal average.

In comparison, the minimum temperature in October 2023 was 15.9 degrees Celsius and 17.4 degrees Celsius in 2022. The maximum temperature on Sunday settled at 33.1 degrees Celsius, slightly above the seasonal average of 32.9 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels stood at 94 per cent at 5.30 pm, IMD data showed.

The weather department has forecast a generally cloudy sky for Monday, with light rain or drizzle expected in the city. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 29 and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively, which could further influence air quality in the coming days.