Delhi chokes under toxic haze as AQI hits 'very poor'

A layer of toxic haze blanketed the national capital on Monday morning, with the air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 9 am, Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 345, CPCB data showed. Visuals from across the city showed a thick layer of haze reducing visibility in several areas. According to the Sameer app, Bawana recorded 'severe' air quality with an AQI of 411, followed by Wazirpur at 397. Out of 38 monitoring stations, one station (Bawana) reported 'severe' air quality, while 33 others remained in the 'very poor' range. The city's air quality had deteriorated sharply on Sunday morning, reaching this season's worst level of 391 before slightly improving later in the day. At 4 pm, the overall AQI stood at 370, placing Delhi in the 'red zone', CPCB data showed.

A blanket of smog has persisted over the city since Diwali, with air quality oscillating between the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories, and occasionally slipping into the "severe" zone. The minimum temperature was recorded at 10.4 degrees Celsius on Monday, 3.9 degrees below the season's average and the lowest so far this season, surpassing Saturday's minimum of 11 degrees. Humidity was 79 per cent at 8.30 am, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 28 degrees Celsius, with the weather department forecasting shallow fog during the day. As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.