Delhi’s air quality remains in ‘very poor’ category as smog engulfs city

The air quality of Delhi on Friday morning was the worst in comparison to nine other cities mentioned on the CPCB website

The air pollution level in Delhi on Friday morning slipped into the “very poor” category from Thursday’s “poor category”, according to the hourly air quality index (AQI) of the central pollution control board (CPCB).

Delhi’s sky enveloped in a layer of smog as the overall air quality index (AQI was under ‘very poor’ category. (ANI image)

According to the CPCB website, the hourly AQI at 7am stood at 313 on Friday that is in the lower-end of the “very poor” category.

The average 24-hour AQI on Thursday was 295.

The air quality of Delhi on Friday morning was the worst in comparison to nine other cities mentioned on the CPCB website.

The website’s data shows Patna had the second highest air quality on Friday morning with the AQI recording 278 at 7am.

The air in Chennai was recorded the best among the 10 cities as its AQI stood at 63 at 7am.

The other seven cities are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow and Pune.

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’.

The AQI in the very poor category leads to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

As far as the weather is concerned, there could be mist across the city throughout Friday, the Indian India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The minimum temperature is expected to remain around 16°C.

The Met department added the maximum temperature is likely to be 29°C.