No respite for Delhiites as air quality reaches 'very poor' category, AQI at 312

New Delhi: The air quality in Delhi reached the ' very poor' category on Thursday morning with the air quality index or AQI at 312. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's overall air quality index was recorded at 312 this morning.

The air quality in Delhi-NCR is likely to turn 'severe' over the next two days due to prevailing calm winds and increased incidents of farm fires, according to weather officials.

Air quality index (AQI) data showed major pollutant PM 2.5 at 297 ('Poor' category) at the Lodhi Road and at 346 ('Very Poor' category) in the area around Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The main cause of the deterioration in the air quality is being attributed to two factors – calm surface winds in Delhi are likely to prevent dispersion of pollutants and the fire count has increased significantly (around 1,000) as compared to last week.

AQI ranging from 51-100 falls in the 'satisfactory' category, 101-200 is in the 'moderate' category, 201-300 is said to be 'poor', 301-400 is considered to be 'very poor' while 401-500 falls in the 'hazardous' category. 

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Last week, CK Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, briefed the media and said that illegal construction and industrial pollution will be monitored till December end. The central government said that new technologies will be used to curb pollution in the national capital. 

On Tuesday, the air pollution level in Delhi was discussed in Parliament.

The opposition pinned the blame of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to curb pollution. Congress president Sonia Gandhi also expressed her concern over the air quality of Delhi and said that the CNG-powered public transport system was introduced by her party to tackle pollution. 

Air Pollution in Delhi-NCR 

Delhi air quality in 'very poor category' on Thursday.

Air quality in Chandni Chowk 'severe' category.

Noida - very poor

Gurugram - moderate, better than yesterday

1. Delhi - 312 (Very Poor)

Pusa - 297 (Poor)
Lodhi Road - 308 (Very Poor)
Delhi University - 322 (Very Poor)
Airport (T3) -314 (Very Poor)
Mathura Road -310 (Very Poor)
Ayanagar - 302 (Very Poor)
IIT Delhi - 309 (Very Poor)
Dhirpur - 327 (Very Poor)
Chandni Chowk - 428 (Severe)

2. Noida - 361 (Very Poor)

3. Gurugram -174 (Moderate)

4. Mumbai -199 (Moderate)
5. Navi Mumbai -239 (Poor)
6. Pune -162 (Moderate)
7. Ahmedabad -141 (Moderate)
8. Ghaziabad - 413 
9. Greater Noida -378
10 Hisar - 372
11. Jind -342
12. Kanpur - 359
13. Lucknow - 322
14. Meerut -- 331
15. Moradabad -336
16. Muzaffarpur -344
17. Palwal -307
18. Panipat - 362
19. Rohtak -304
20.Yamunagar -315
21. Baghpat -336
22. Faridabad -341
23. Amritsar - 240
24. Ambala -251
25. Chandigarh -192