Delhi continues to choke, with the national capital recording an average air quality index (AQI) of 347. A thick layer of smog also engulfed the city amid the rising pollution.
While Sunday’s average AQI neared the ‘severe’ category at 392, Monday recorded a slightly lower level of 347, according to SAFAR.
The contribution of farm fire emissions from Punjab and Haryana to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels remained minimal, declining to around 5 per cent on Monday compared to 8 per cent recorded on Saturday.
Amid the rising concern over the increasing air pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) sub-committee on the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) met in the evening to review the air quality situation after Delhi’s daily average AQI remained at the higher end of the “very poor" category in the morning.
According to the panel, Delhi’s hourly average AQI stood at 391 at 10 am but improved to 370 by 4 pm and further to 365 at 5 pm.
Taking into account the improving air quality trend and forecast, the sub-committee concluded that implementing Stage 3 restrictions of GRAP was unnecessary for now and that the existing measures under Stages 1 and 2 would remain in effect across the National Capital Region.
