Delhiites continued to breathe ‘very poor’ air for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, as the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported high levels of air quality index (AQI) in several areas of the city. The CPCB data showed that the AQI in RK Puram was 356, in Anand Vihar was 365, and in ITO was 335 at 8 am on Tuesday, all in the ‘very poor’ category. The AQI in Ashok Vihar was also ‘very poor’ at 298, slightly lower than 365 on Monday.
The AQI in Narela deteriorated from ‘poor’ at 300 on Monday to ‘very poor’ at 339 on Tuesday. The ‘very poor’ air quality was accompanied by a thick layer of fog that covered the city, reducing the visibility significantly. The India Gate was barely visible in the foggy conditions on Tuesday morning.
The CPCB had earlier reported that the overall AQI in the national capital was in the ‘very poor’ range on Monday, as a result of the fog that enveloped the city on Sunday. The AQI in RK Puram-Munirka was 346, in Anand Vihar was 310, and in ITO was 328 at 8 am on Monday, according to the CPCB.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted that the city would not receive any rainfall till December 11. It also predicted clear skies with shallow to moderate fog in the morning hours. The city has been suffering from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’ air quality for the past few weeks.
The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 100 for ‘good’, 100 to 200 for ‘moderate’, 200 to 300 for ‘poor’, 300 to 400 for ‘very poor’, and above 400 for ‘severe’.
Bureau Report
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