The city recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season so far at 16.1 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal, according to the weather department
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi's Air Quality Index at 9 am was 428, which falls in the 'severe' category
"Of 39 monitoring stations in Delhi, 32 recorded air quality in the 'severe' category, with readings above 400. These stations include Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, IGI Airport, ITO, Mandir Marg, North Campus, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, and Pusa among others," an official said
The air quality in Delhi on Wednesday was reported as the worst in the country, plunging into the 'severe' category for the first time this season
The city's 24-hour AQI, recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418 on Wednesday, up from 334 the previous day
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", 401 and 450 "severe" and above 450 "severe plus"
A thick veil of fog blanketed the city on Wednesday morning, reducing visibility to zero and affecting flight operations. The situation improved slightly on Thursday as the visibility at the Delhi Airport at 8.30 am was 400 metres
The weather department said the maximum temperature is expected to settle at around 29 degrees Celsius
The Delhi government will ensure strict enforcement of pollution control measures under the Graded Response Action Plan Stage 2 to combat deteriorating air quality in the city, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday
ADVERTISEMENT
