Delhi’s AQI improves marginally; slips back into ‘poor’ category

AQI between 301 and 400 is considered to be very poor. Delhi’s AQI was 265 at 7 am on Friday, which fell in the poor category

The national capital’s air quality index (AQI) showed some improvement on Friday morning after recording a spate of very poor air quality days earlier this week.

A smoky haze has shrouded the national capital for past few days largely due to calm winds and low temperature that has allowed accumulation of pollutants. (PTI file)

AQI between 301 and 400 is considered to be very poor. Delhi’s AQI was 265 at 7 am on Friday, which fell in the poor category.

AQI between 201 and 300 are considered to be poor. On Thursday, Delhi’s AQI rose to 312, which belonged to the very poor category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

Forecasts suggested that there would be no significant respite in pollution levels in the coming three to four days. However, a change in the wind direction could bring down the AQI to poor from the very poor category.

“The conditions are likely to be similar in the coming three to four days. However, the wind direction is likely to change from north-westerly to south-easterly and easterly from Friday. This may reduce pollution, which is being caused due to stubble burning in neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab and also parts of western Uttar Pradesh (UP),” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head of India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional weather forecasting centre.