Delhi AQI ‘severe’ for second day in a row; minimum temperature drops to 10.4 degrees

Air pollution in the national capital continued to hover in the “severe” category on Wednesday morning for the second day in a row, raising health concerns among residents.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 414 at 9 am, slightly lower than Tuesday’s 423, which was the worst reading of the season so far. In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Central government activated stricter anti-pollution measures under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Under CPCB guidelines, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor”, and 401 to 500 “severe”.

Since Diwali, Delhi’s air quality has largely remained in the “poor” or “very poor” category, occasionally breaching the “severe” threshold.

Meanwhile, temperatures continued to dip across the city. The minimum temperature on Wednesday was recorded at 10.4 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees below the season’s normal, while the maximum is expected to reach around 27 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department. Shallow fog is also likely during the day.

Authorities have urged residents, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activity and take necessary precautions as pollution levels remain dangerously high.

With PTI Inputs