Delhi's air quality slips back to 'severe' category, AQI at 412

Delhi's air quality slipped back to the 'severe' category on Saturday with an AQI of 412 while the maximum temperature was recorded at 29.4 degrees Celsius.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which provides hourly AQI updates, 20 monitoring stations, including Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Chandni Chowk, DTU, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mandir Marg, Narela, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh, Wazirpur, and Mundka, registered readings above 400, placing them in the 'severe' category.

According to data from the CPCB, the city's 24-hour average AQI, recorded until 4 pm on Saturday, stood at 412.

The AQI is classified into six categories: 'good' (0-50), 'satisfactory' (51-100), 'moderate' (101-200), 'poor' (201-300), 'very poor' (301-400), and 'severe' (401-500).

The 'severe' category poses serious health risks, especially due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing long-term health issues.

The Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management attributed 16.4 percent of Delhi's pollution on Saturday to vehicular emissions, a major contributor to the toxic air.

Stubble burning in neighbouring states remains another significant source of pollution.

Meanwhile, a thick layer of mist and smog blanketed the city during the morning and evening hours, reducing visibility.

The daytime temperature was recorded at 29.4 degrees Celsius, three notches above the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Humidity levels fluctuated between 96 and 66 per cent during the day.

The IMD has forecast moderate fog for Sunday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 28 and 12 degrees Celsius, respectively.