Delhi continues to reel under 'very poor' air quality despite improvements

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad also recorded 'very poor' overall air quality

Delhi's air quality continued to remain in 'very poor' category despite slight improvements in the last two days with the Air Quality Index (AQI) just over 'poor' level.

The overall air quality on was recorded at 302 which falls in the very poor category, according to Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR).

An AQI between 0 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".

On Friday, the PM2.5 level (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre level) was recorded at 174, while the PM10 level was recorded at 329, SAFAR data said.

Regions such as Dwarka, Mundaka, Rohini and Anand Vihar registered "severe" air-quality.

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded "very poor" overall air quality while greater Noida continued to record AQI closer to 'severe' category.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has made certain recommendations to the Supreme Court to combat the menace of air pollution, including banning of industrial, construction and demolition activities in the major hotspot areas 

The organization has also stated that stringent actions must be taken against the defaulters breaching pollution laws put in place by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, traffic police and other agencies.

Meanwhile, the CPCB directed public and enforcement agencies to immediately join social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook on which citizens can lodge their complaints on pollution directly, noting that actions of these bodies have been "inadequate".

The directions have been made to the NDMC, SDMC, EDMC, DMRC, CPWD, DDA and the state pollution control boards of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, among other public bodies.

Delhi, which is home to approx 19 million people, is reeling under the menace of air pollution from the past couple of years. The region faced a major air quality crisis last year as pollution levels shot through the roof and even forced shutdown of schools. Moreover, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had described the capital as a gas chamber and local administration was compelled to declare a public health emergency.