Delhi’s air quality turns ‘severe’

New Delhi, Dec 31: Delhi’s air quality slipped into the ‘severe’ category on Sunday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions slowing down dispersion of pollutants, authorities said.

       The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) of Delhi at 412, which falls in the ‘severe category’, while the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) recorded an AQI of 388, which comes under the ‘very poor’ category.

       The SAFAR also pointed out that a consistent day-night trend is observed for the past one week.

       The air quality slipped into the ‘severe’ category on Sunday morning for this fourth time in 10 days.

       Delhi’s air quality has oscillated between the ‘very poor’ and the ‘severe’ categories during this period.

       The national capital recorded its second highest pollution level of the year on Sunday with an AQI of 450. The air quality remained ‘severe’ Monday and Tuesday. There was a slight drop in the pollution level and the air quality had moved to the ‘very poor’ category Wednesday.