The national capital found on Sunday enveloped by a thick layer of fog lowering visibility to 200 meters in several areas as the Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping into ‘severe’ zone making matters worse for the residents.

With the minimum temperature recorded at 7.6 degrees and the maximum rising to a 24.4 degrees Celsius on the Christmas-eve the residents experienced the first cold wave of the season.

The IMD has forecast dense fog for Monday, with minimum and maximum temperatures to hover around 8 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Despite an improvement of 39 points, the city’s air quality continued to reel under the ‘severe’ category with an index value of 411 on Sunday, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In Delhi, Shadipur recorded the highest air pollution with an AQI reading of 470, followed by Punjabi Bagh at 454, Jahangirpuri 453, Mundka 451 and Rohini 450.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) the air quality may improve to ‘very poor’ category on Monday but is likely to turn severe on Tuesday, as per meteorological conditions. “The air quality is likely to improve and reach in Very Poor category on 25.12.2023 and remain in Very Poor category on 26.12.2023. The air quality is likely to deteriorate and reach in Severe category on 27.12.2023. The outlook for subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to remain in the  Severe to Very Poor category,” read its air quality and weather bulletin for Delhi for Sunday.

The cold coupled with high level of air pollution continued to cause enormous inconveniences to the city’s residents, especially those without a roof on their head. The homeless continued to brave the vagaries of nature with bonfires and night shelters as a solace.

Government agencies have implemented measures under the GRAP-III anti-pollution plan as per the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars have been restricted from plying on Delhi roads.

Several other steps have been taken and construction and demolition activities have also been banned in Delhi for now in view of preventing the air quality situation from worsening further.