No relief to Delhiites from pollution as air quality remains in very poor category

Amid the severe cold conditions in many parts of north-India, the air pollution in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category with an overall air quality index (AQI) stood at 339.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) stated, "Surface winds west southwesterly and moderate. Marginal decrease in ventilation index is forecasted, AQI is likely to marginally deteriorate to the middle-end of very poor on January 25 and 26. The middle to the higher end of the very poor category is forecasted for January 27."

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.

Moderate wind speed which leads to moderate dispersion, stubble burning could be among the few reasons which lead to deterioration of AQI, the SAFAR stated.

Palam and Safdarjung recorded 9.8 degrees Celsius and 8.8 degrees Celsius temperatures with a visibility of 500 meters at 5:30 am respectively, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

"Moderate fog at isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi (Safdurjung and Palam), north Madhya Pradesh, West Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya at 5:30 am today," the weather department said.

"It is very cold today. The visibility is low too. I prefer to walk every morning. Due to bad air quality, it gets difficult to walk long distances as I have a breathing problem," a local told ANI.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur city recorded a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius.

Moradabad also witnessed reduced visibility as dense fog engulfed the city. People lit the fire to keep themselves warm.

(ANI)

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