A ‘severe’ category of air pollution ‘seriously impacts’ those with existing diseases.
| Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV
The Capital registered a ‘very poor’ quality air on Tuesday, which was marginally better than the ‘severe’ category of air quality the city breathed a day earlier, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) on Tuesday was 366, down from 410 on Monday, as per the CPCB’s official bulletin. A higher value of AQI means an increase in air pollution. An AQI between 301 and 400 is termed “very poor”, 401 and 500 “severe”.
According to the Central government’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the city’s air is likely to remain within the “very poor” category for the next three days.
As per the Central government-run monitoring agency SAFAR, the city’s AQI is unlikely to improve till Friday due to the prevailing dense fog and cold wave conditions in the country’s north-west region.
The State BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Delhiites are living in an “air emergency” situation and demanded that the Delhi government come out with a white paper on the issue. Meanwhile, the Delhi government launched an anti-open burning campaign to reduce air pollution.
