Delhi air quality remains 'very poor'

According to the bulletin, the National Capital Region (NCR) too witnessed the 'very poor' air quality with Ghaziabad's AQI recorded at 379, Noida's at 362, Greater Noida's at 392, Gurugram's at 317 and Faridabad's at 350.

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'.

The CPCB data showed all the values in Delhi-NCR in the 'red' category, which can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.

As many as 867 stubble fire counts were recorded till Saturday by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The stubble burning contributed 19 per cent of pollution share in the National Capital's pollution, the air pollution monitoring agency stated.

The SAFAR forecast 'very poor' air in Delhi for the next two days but without further deterioration.

"Expected slight increase in local surface wind speed is a positive sign but the stubble transport-level wind direction and speed is an unfavourable sign and likely to counter each other," the agency said.

Meanwhile, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature recorded on Sunday was 33.9 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, while the minimum was 13.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below par.

The relative humidity at 1730 hrs was recorded at 62 per cent. The sunrise was timed at 0629 hrs while sunset 1742 hrs.

While the National Capital witnessed mainly clear sky on Sunday, it is forecast to have a misty Monday with maximum temperature likely to be 34 deg C and minimum 14.0 deg C.