Delhi air quality remains ‘very poor’ with AQI at 323 as toxic smog persists

The national capital woke up to a blanket of toxic smog on Friday morning with the average Air Quality Index AQI hitting 323 at 8 am in the very poor category according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBBut despite a slight improvement from the recent weeks several parts of the city remained shrouded in a dense layer of toxic smog Areas like Ghazipur and Akshardham reported thick haze early this morning with visibility remaining significantly reduced According to CPCB many regions of the National Capital fell into the very poor categoryThe area around Anand Vihar was blanketed in a dense layer of toxic smog with an AQI of 348 in the very poor category According to CPCB data Sonia Vihar recorded an AQI of 343 while Wazirpur recorded 358Bawana recorded the highest AQI of 325 at 8 am placing it in the very poor category In contrast NSIT Dwarka recorded an AQI of 269 which falls under the poor category according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Akshardham area is blanketed by a layer of toxic smog that covers the city The AQI Air Quality Index in the area is 348 categorised as Very PoorAccording to AQI categorisation 050 is good 51100 satisfactory 101200 moderate 201300 poor 301400 very poor and 401500 severeAccording to CPCB the AQI which ranges from 0 to 500 is divided into six categories each reflecting the level of pollution and associated health risksAn AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as Good indicating minimal or no health impact AQI levels from 51 to 100 fall into the Satisfactory category where air quality remains acceptable though sensitive groups such as children the elderly and those with respiratory issues may experience slight discomfortThe Moderate category ranging from 101 to 200 signals increasing pollution levels that can trigger breathing difficulties among people with asthma lung conditions or heart diseasesAn AQI between 201 and 300 is considered Poor a range in which prolonged exposure can cause breathing discomfort to most people not just those with preexisting health issuesThis level has become increasingly common in several parts of the capital during winterLevels between 301 and 400 are marked as Very Poor posing a risk of respiratory illnesses even to healthy individuals when exposure continues for long periods The most hazardous category Severe includes AQI values from 401 to 500 At this stage air quality becomes dangerous for everyoneFurther to combat the continuously detoriating air quality in the national capital and its adjoining areas Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday chaired a meeting at the Delhi Secretariat to review the pollution control measures in the national capitalWith inputs from Agencies