No relief from pollution as ‘very poor’ air quality persists

The overall air quality of the national capital continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday, according to official data.

Delhi’s 24-hour overall average air quality index (AQI) stood at 353 (very poor) at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, marginally lower than 360 (very poor) a day earlier, as per the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily official bulletin. By 11 p.m., the overall AQI had deteriorated to 364 while several stations recorded ‘severe’ (above 400) levels of air pollution.  Meanwhile, parts of the city reeled under cold wave conditions for the fourth day on Wednesday, with the minimum temperature settling at 3.8 degrees Celsius, 3.6 notches below the normal, as per the IMD.