Delhi's air quality in severe zone, may enter emergency category

Delhi's air quality on Wednesday was in the severe category but pollution levels are expected to enter the "severe plus" or "emergency" category later in the day.

The AQI in adjoining areas of Noida and Greater Noida was recorded at 472 and 462 respectively while Faridabad and Gurugram had an AQI of 441 and 448 respectively.  An AQI between 201 and 300 is 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe' while the AQI above 500 falls in the severe plus category.

On Wednesday morning, the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 14.2 degrees Celsius. Humidity was recorded at 81 per cent.  The weatherman has forecast partly cloudy skies for the days with the maximum likely to hover around 29 degrees Celsius. 

The noxious haze returned to Delhi and its suburbs on Tuesday with raging stubble fires in neighbouring states, fall in the temperature and wind speed pushing the city's air quality in the "severe" zone.

The government's air quality monitor, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said pollution levels in Delhi-NCR are expected to enter the "severe plus" or "emergency" category on Wednesday.

According to the Central Pollution Control Bureau (CPCB), Delhi's overall air quality index (AQI) read 425 at 4 pm and 437 at 9 pm on Tuesday. It was 360 at 4 pm on Monday.

On Tuesday, Delhi recorded a high of 28 degrees Celsius and a low of 11.7 degrees Celsius, the lowest of the season so far.