A thin layer of smog engulfed several areas in Delhi on Saturday. (Screengrab)

Delhi air quality remains 'very poor' as bursting of crackers continues

Anand Vihar recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 387 at 10 am on Saturday, which was the worst in Delhi. Several other areas also recorded an AQI of above 300, including RK Puram (352), Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (338), Punjabi Bagh (328), Ashok Vihar (315) and Burari Crossing (311).

by · India Today

In Short

  • Delhi's pollution levels were very high on Friday night
  • Anand Vihar recorded worst AQI on Saturday morning
  • Anti-smog guns used to mitigate pollution in parts of Delhi

Delhi's air quality continued to deteriorate on Saturday as it remained in the 'very poor' category on Saturday morning, as the bursting of firecrackers continued on Friday a day after Diwali. A thin layer of smog engulfed several areas in the capital region on Saturday.

Anand Vihar recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 387 at 10 am on Saturday, which was the worst in Delhi, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Bureau (CPCB).

Several other areas also recorded an AQI of above 300, including RK Puram (352), Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (338), Punjabi Bagh (328), Ashok Vihar (315) and Burari Crossing (311).

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'.

Water was sprinkled through anti-smog guns on Saturday in several parts of Delhi to control the pollution levels.

The pollution levels in Delhi also increased to an alarming level across various monitoring stations in Delhi on Friday evening. Ashok Vihar recorded the worst pollution levels in the capital, with PM2.5 of 1,487 micrograms per cubic meters and PM10 of 1,951 micrograms per cubic meters at 11 pm on Friday.

This is much higher than the acceptable limits of 60 micrograms per cubic meters for PM2.5 and 100 micrograms per cubic meters for PM10 and 60µg/m³ for PM2.5.

Delhi became the world's most polluted city on Friday after firecrackers were burst on the occasion of Diwali on Thursday (October 31), despite a ban in the national capital.

(With inputs from Kumar Kunal)