Delhi-NCR cold wave: Air quality remains in 'severe' category, thick fog engulfs region

Winter has tightened its grip in Delhi-NCR as the region is facing very low temperatures and poor visibility due to dense fog and severely poor air quality. 

According to real-time statistics published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's air quality remained in the ' very poor' category on Sunday, with the AQI hovering around 441.

The national capital's ITO area had 423 air quality, while the AQI at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was 407 and the air quality in Ashok Vihar was 438, according to CPCB data taken at 8 am.

The morning is expected to be densely foggy, with a low of 7 degrees Celsius and a high of 25 degrees Celsius, and there is very little chance of rain, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMD), New Delhi.

In response to the declining air quality earlier on Friday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented limitations under stage 3 of anti-pollution measures.

Following the new rules, the Delhi-National Capital Region is no longer allowed to do any non-essential building work.

Along with prohibiting the use of BS-III gasoline and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar, the commission has also ordered governments to uphold this restriction under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

According to the Central Commission, the main factors contributing to a decline in air quality are unfavourable weather patterns, including fog and haze, combined with slow wind speeds.

An AQI of 0-50 is regarded as good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 extremely poor, 401-450 severe, and over 450 severe-plus.