Air quality in Delhi again hits ‘severe plus’

With at least six areas recording ‘severe-plus or emergency' and 'severe' category of air quality, overall air quality in the national Capital remained ‘very poor' on Monday.

The condition of other cities of the National Capital Region was no different, especially Ghaziabad where air quality 'severe' on Monday.

Environmentalists have predicted that the Capital is again bound to inhale toxins in the next three days, due to unfavourable changes in weather conditions and stubble burning which continues unabated in Delhi-ncr itself.

According to the data from Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality index (AQI) across Delhi-ncr continued to be ‘very poor', with high concentration of pollutants seen even during the day.

Average PM2.5 level was recorded at 216 units across Delhi-ncr, while it was 219 in Delhi alone at 2 pm.

East Delhi's Anand Vihar, Delhi Technical University in north Delhi and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh had ‘severe-plus or emergency' air quality.

At 2 pm, west Delhi's Punjabi Bagh, south Delhi's RK Puram and Sector 25 in Noida recorded ‘severe' air quality.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, air quality in the city is set to deteriorate over the next three days, with little hope of improvement.

The monitoring agency has advised residents to refrain from outdoor physical activity and told everyone to wear masks while going out.