New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Delhi recorded a slight easing in air pollution on Tuesday, though overall conditions remained unhealthy, with the city’s average Air Quality Index settling at 377 during the morning hours. Despite the decline from the previous day, the air quality continued to fall under the ‘very poor’ bracket.
The improvement followed two days of extremely high pollution, when several parts of the capital reported AQI readings above 400, classified as ‘severe’. On Tuesday, official monitoring showed that 11 out of 40 air quality stations were still registering severe pollution levels. Jahangirpuri, Mundka and Wazirpur remained among the most affected areas, each posting readings well above safe limits.
Dense smog mixed with fog was visible across many neighbourhoods at daybreak, reducing visibility and adding to commuters’ difficulties. Cold weather conditions further contributed to the build-up of pollutants, with the minimum temperature recorded at 8.3 degrees Celsius, slightly below the normal average for this time of year.
Meteorological officials expect daytime temperatures to remain between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius. Health experts continue to caution residents against prolonged outdoor activity, particularly those with breathing-related ailments, as pollution levels are still far from acceptable.
