Pollution: Delhi-NCR wakes up to another smoggy day, air quality remains poor

While the AQI of Delhi improved to 'very poor' from the 'severe' category at 338, in neighbouring Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Noida, the same was recorded at 312, 368, 301 and 357, respectively.

Residents of the national capital region (NCR) on Sunday woke up to another smoggy day as air quality levels remained in poor categories across Delhi and the surrounding satellite cities.

Smog and pollution on Tilak Marg near Supreme Court in New Delhi. (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

While the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi improved to 'very poor' from the 'severe' category at 338, in neighbouring Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Noida, the same was recorded at 312, 368, 301 and 357, respectively.

In Delhi, the air quality index of Lodhi Road, Pusa Road, Chandni Chowk and Delhi airport was recorded at 295, 313, 352 and 321 respectively, according to the Sameer app.

On Saturday, the capital’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced various emergency measures, including shutting of schools for a week, ban on construction activities and work-from-home plan for government officials, to deal with the pollution crisis.

He said his government would also present a plan of lockdown before the Supreme Court.

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, the authorities have urged citizens to limit outdoor activities and cut vehicle use as air quality in the region inched towards the emergency level amid a rise in emissions from farm fires and unfavourable meteorological conditions.

A sub-committee on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) said meteorological conditions will be highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants till November 18 and agencies concerned must be fully ready to implement measures under "emergency" category.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 10.1, three notches below the season's average, on Sunday. The relative humidity recorded at 8.30 am was 83 per cent.

The weather office has predicted a mainly clear sky with moderate fog in the morning with a maximum temperature expected to be around 26 degrees Celsius.

(With agency inputs)