New Delhi, November 15: The air quality in Delhi worsened and entered into the 'severe' category on Sunday. According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data, the air quality in the national capital deteriorated post-Diwali celebrations and stood at 461 around the ITO area. Moreover, smog shrouded parts of the national capital leading to decreased visibility in several areas. Residents witnessed a spike in air pollution as the city continued to remain engulfed in a blanket of smog.

Due to the rise in pollution levels, very poor visibility was observed in areas around Civil Lines, Geeta Colony and ISBT today. The air quality further worsened owing to a combination of stubble burning and firecrackers burst during the Diwali celebrations. According to DPCC data, the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM 2.5 pollutant stood at 481 in Anand Vihar, 444 in IGI Airport area, 457 in ITO, and 414 in Lodhi Road area, all four in the 'severe' category, at 11 pm on Saturday. Diwali 2020 in Delhi: Defying NGT Ban, Locals Burst Firecrackers in Parts of Capital (Watch Video).

Here's the Video:

An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101- 200 is moderate, 201- 300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe. According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases. The spike comes as people burst firecrackers in violation of the complete ban on the sale and bursting of firecrackers in the national capital by the Delhi government and the National Green Tribunal. The AQI is forecasted to deteriorate further and reach the 'Severe' category by Sunday evening.

According to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the concentration of major air pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 remained high in the five immediate neighbours of Delhi. The air quality in Ghaziabad and Noida deteriorated to ''severe'' category and remained "very poor" in Greater Noida, Faridabad and Gurgaon of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday, according to a government agency.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 15, 2020 09:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).