A man with his face covered walks in front of the Lodhi Garden in New Delhi. (Express Photo) A man with his face covered walks in front of the Lodhi Garden in New Delhi. (Express Photo)

Delhi’s air quality Saturday morning improved to ‘very poor’ category after local pollutants “reduced significantly” and the contribution from stubble burning remained “marginal”. According to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board, The overall air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 394. Today, the PM2.5 level was recorded at 226, while the PM10 was recorded at 331 in Delhi. According to The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), stubble burning was the “largest-ever recorded” for this year with 2,100 fire counts, which might lead to a further deterioration of the already “severe” air quality of the national capital.

To help improve the condition, the entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into the national capital has been banned for three days beginning 11pm on Thursday night as Delhi’s air quality worsened to the “severe-plus emergency” category following rampant bursting of crackers on Diwali. Over 400 vehicles were returned from Delhi’s borders after the ban.

Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain met with ministry officials on Friday and held discussions on the deteriorating air quality in the national capital which slipped to the “severe plus emergency” category after Diwali.