New Delhi, November 1: Delhi’s air quality improved slightly on Friday but remained in the “poor” category, as pollution levels continued to hover above safe limits across the national capital, government data showed.
The city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 268 at 9 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), compared to 373 on Thursday, which fell under the “very poor” category. Data from the CPCB’s Sameer app showed that Delhi had 12 red zones, with Wazirpur recording the highest AQI at 355, followed by Bawana at 349.
The CPCB classifies air quality as “good” for AQI between 0 and 50, “satisfactory” between 51 and 100, “moderate” between 101 and 200, “poor” between 201 and 300, “very poor” between 301 and 400, and “severe” between 401 and 500.
Weather conditions remained humid, with a minimum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius, around 5.5 degrees above normal, and relative humidity at 98%. The India Meteorological Department said the maximum temperature is expected to reach around 29 degrees Celsius, with foggy conditions likely to persist through the day.
Delhi’s air pollution levels typically worsen in late October and November due to falling temperatures, calm winds, vehicular emissions, and crop residue burning in neighbouring states.
