New Delhi, November 20: The air quality in Delhi deteriorated marginally on Friday and was recorded in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories in several areas. Residents of the national capital woke up to a hazy sky on Friday morning. According to reports, a change in the wind direction increased the share of stubble burning in the city's pollution slightly. As per the data by Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index around Sirifort was at 287 and at Sri Aurobindo Marg at 291- both in 'poor' category. As per weather experts, the government agencies said no significant change was likely in the next three to four days.

Meanwhile, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Chandni Chowk was at 314, in Dwarka it was at 336- both in 'very poor' category. Around Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the air quality was at 281 and around Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium it was at 279- both in 'poor' category. An AQI reading between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”. Air Pollution Shortened Average Indian Life Expectancy by 5.2 Years: Report.

According to VK Soni, the head of the IMD's environment research centre, the northwesterly winds increased the stubble burning contribution slightly on Wednesday.  As per Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, stubble burning accounted for 8 percent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution this week on Wednesday.

The central government's Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi also said Delhi-NCR's air quality is likely to remain in the "moderate" and the lower-end of the "poor" category on Thursday and Friday. The air quality deteriorated to reach "very poor" levels in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida, while it stayed in the "poor" category in Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday, according to a government agency.

The IMD had earlier said the minimum temperature in Delhi will drop to 9 degrees Celsius by Saturday, as cold winds have started blowing from hilly regions, which have witnessed a fresh bout of snowfall.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2020 08:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).