Delhi’s average air quality continued to remain in the ‘severe’ category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) level measuring above the 400 mark to the discomfiture of the residents.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city’s AQI level was 445 at 4 pm on Wednesday based on the average of the past 24 hours. The areas that were worst affected due to the rise in pollution include Wazirpur, Nehru Nagar, Anand Vihar, Rohini, Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri and ITO, where the AQI levels pegged at above 450.

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PM 2.5 particles were the primary pollutants recorded in the city’s air, said CPCB, adding that the AQI reading of the city was based on the observations from 37 monitoring stations across the national capital.

The cities adjoining Delhi, including Ghaziabad, Noida, and Gurugram, recorded the air quality under the ‘very poor’ category, while Faridabad’s pollution level remained in the ‘poor’ zone.

A man travelling to work during morning hours near Connaught Place complained of an unusual discomfort amid a spike in air pollution even as he wore a mask to protect himself from the harmful effects of the polluted air.

According to the pollution monitoring agency, the current situation can affect even healthy individuals and seriously affects those with existing diseases.

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), in its Air Quality and Weather Bulletin for Delhi on Wednesday, said, “Meteorological condition is likely to be unfavourable for effective dispersion of pollutants.”

The concerned agencies are intensifying actions under the anti- pollution Grade Response Action Plan (GRAP) stages III and IV that have been imposed to curb the pollutants.

A host of measures, including regular mechanical sweeping of roads, use of anti- smog guns, restricting BS IV Diesel and BS III petrol four wheelers, curbs on certain constructions, biomass burning and other steps as part of the anti pollution plan by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) are being observed by the agencies
across the city.