Delhi's air quality inches closer to ‘very poor' category on Diwali morning

Earlier, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) had predicted that the air quality may deteriorate to "very poor" on Monday morning.

Delhi's air quality on Monday inched towards the "very poor" category on Diwali morning with the air quality index (AQI) at 298 at 6 am. According to data, 19 out of the 35 monitoring stations in the city recorded air quality in the "very poor" category - while one station at Anand Vihar reported "severe" pollution levels, reported news agency ANI. Ghaziabad's AQI stood at 300, Noida's at 299, Greater Noida at 282, Gurugram at 249, and Faridabad at 248. On Sunday, the air quality in the city was in the poor category with an AQI reading of 251.

Delhi's air quality inches closer to ‘very poor' category on Diwali morning (ANI File Photo)

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.

Earlier, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) had predicted that the air quality may deteriorate to "very poor" on Monday morning due to “calm winds and low temperatures which allow rapid accumulation of pollutants in the air,” reported ANI. It further said that it will remain in the ‘very poor’ category if “no firecrackers are burst”.

Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) had given the same warning as the city celebrates Diwali. According to the forecast, the quality is likely to remain at the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category on Monday and Tuesday. “The air quality is likely to improve but will still remain at the lower end of the very poor category on Wednesday. The AQI in the subsequent six days is likely to remain between the ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’ category,” it said.

(With inputs from ANI)