Delhi’s AQI remains in ‘poor’ category; minimum temperature recorded at 16.1°C

The Early Warning System forecast stated that the air quality is likely to remain in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category over the coming days

Delhi’s air quality remained in the poor category on Tuesday with the air quality index (AQI) at 236 reported at 10am.

The maximum temperature in the region is likely to settle at 31.5°C during the day. (HT photo)

The air quality was in the poor category on Sunday, with an AQI of 313, followed by 268 on Monday.

The Early Warning System forecast stated that the air quality is likely to remain in the ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ category over the coming days.

It is expected to be in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday and Wednesday, and likely to be in the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday.

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.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 16.1°C on Tuesday morning.

The maximum temperature in the region is likely to settle at 31.5°C during the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Farm fires in the northern states have also been blamed for the poor air quality in the national Capital.

According to data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), 265 farm fires were reported in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, compared to 206 a day earlier.

An average of 90 such fires were lit in the week preceding that.

Data from the earth sciences ministry estimated the contribution of biomass burning to be around 16.4% on Sunday.

It was forecast to rise to around 30.6% on Monday and around 32.8% by Tuesday.

Delhi government officials had announced on Monday that it has identified eight new bad air hot spots in the city for which action plans will be formulated and where special teams will be deployed to monitor sources of pollution.