Air quality stayed ‘very poor’ through half of November; no relief expected next week

new delhi: The national capital recorded an AQI of 369 on Friday, extending its streak of ‘very poor’ air quality to half the month of November, and forecasts show no respite in the next week.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 369 on Friday, compared to 377 on Thursday, 327 on Wednesday, 352 on Tuesday and 382 on Monday, remaining in the ‘very poor’ category for the 14th consecutive day.

The highest AQI in the city, at 414, was recorded in Dwarka Sector 8, the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer app showed.

The air quality is likely to remain ‘very poor’ over the coming week, according to the forecast by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Sameer app, which displays real-time pollution readings from monitoring stations across Delhi, showed that several stations -- including RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Nehru Nagar, Dwarka, Rohini, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka -- recorded AQI levels above the 400 mark.

Out of 39 monitoring stations, a total of 18 recorded AQI in the ‘severe’ category in the early hours of the day.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

Vehicular emissions contributed 18 per cent to Delhi’s pollution on Friday, while stubble burning accounted for 1.2 per cent, the IITM Pune reported. Maximum and minimum temperatures were 25.9°C and 8.1°C, with morning humidity at 95 per cent. Saturday is expected to be foggy, with temperatures between 26°C and 11°C.