After remaining in the ‘moderate’ category for several days, Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to the ‘poor’ category on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) daily bulletin.

The city’s AQI was recorded at 233 as of 4 PM on Saturday, based on the 24-hour average. Shadipur reported the highest AQI at 317, followed closely by Anand Vihar at 310, placing both areas in the ‘very poor’ category.

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PM2.5 and PM10 were identified as the primary pollutants, with data collected from 38 monitoring stations across the city. The CPCB noted that prolonged exposure to ‘poor’ air quality could cause breathing discomfort for many residents.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) predicts that the AQI will remain in the ‘poor’ range on Sunday and Monday, with values staying below 300.

On December 5, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had revoked stages III and IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) following Supreme Court directives. However, actions under stages I and II remain active to prevent further deterioration.

The CAQM sub-committee has cautioned that if AQI levels surpass 350 and approach 400, advanced stages of GRAP may be reactivated to mitigate the crisis.