Toxic air continues to remain Delhi's major worry as AQI slips to 365

Delhi's air quality continued to deteriorate on Wednesday with seven areas in the national capital recording severe pollution levels, and authorities said the situation is likely to worsen over the next two days.

The system of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR)  recorded an overall air quality index (AQI) of 365, which falls in the "very poor" category.

Six areas Ashok Vihar, Anand Vihar, Burari, Mundaka, Mathura Road, Punjabi Bagh and Wazirpur recorded severe air quality, according to CPCB.

Twenty-six areas of Delhi recorded very poor air quality, while in four areas it was in the "poor" category, Central Pollution Control Board  (CPCB) data showed.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 is severe.

The PM2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) level was recorded at 206 and the PM10 level at 373, according to SAFAR data..

In NCR, Ghaziabad recorded severe pollution level with AQI at 404 while Faridabad and Noida saw very poor air quality, CPCB data said.

In Gurgaon, the air quality was poor, the data showed.

SAFAR said the AQI dropped speedily as expected, but remained very poor.

The NGT had on Monday fined the Delhi government Rs 250 million for failing to check increasing pollution of various forms in the national capital region. The fine amount, the NGT had said, would be deducted from the salaries of state government officials who had failed to control the pollution and from people caught polluting the environment. 

"Although increasing AQI trend is predicted from tonight for next two days, it will remain in 'very poor' range only. This is mainly due to a decline in wind speed along with adverse meteorological conditions. The contribution from long-range dust or stubble biomass is negligible," SAFAR said.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the maximum ventilation index was likely around 3,500 sqm/second on Tuesday.

A ventilation index lower than 6,000 sqm/second with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants, IITM said.

Delhi's air quality has largely remained in the "very poor" category for a week. It had improved to "poor" category for a brief period on Saturday but again slipped to "very poor" on Sunday, authorities said.