Delhi’s average air quality index on Thursday witnessed a slight improvement as the pollution numbers saw a drop by 52 points measuring at 326, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

With the improvement, no area across the city recorded the AQI (air quality index) falling under the ‘severe’ zone on Thursday, as compared to Wednesday, when 10 places reeled under toxic air.

However, the city’s air quality continued to be in the ‘very poor’ category for over a week now, according to the data uploaded by CPCB.

Bawana area recorded the worst AQI reading of 380, followed by Nehru Nagar- 379, Jahangirpuri- 371, Mundka- 366 and Wazirpur- 361.

Prominent pollutants in the city’s air on Wednesday were the PM 2.5 particles, the CPCB data read.

The PM 2.5 micro particles are those pollutants which are small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and likely trigger health issues, as experts say.

The air quality data released on Thursday by CPCB was based on observations from the 37 out of 40 air monitoring stations across the city.

The centre’s pollution control agency has said that prolonged exposure to air under the ‘very poor’ category may cause respiratory illness.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), there is a likelihood of the air remaining in the very poor category for the coming two- three days.

“The air quality is likely to remain in the Very Poor category from 15.12.2023 to 17.12.2023. The outlook for subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to remain in the Very Poor to Poor category,” the IITM said.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast shallow fog in the morning for Friday with minimum temperature to hover around 6 degrees Celsius.

Anti- pollution measures like spraying of water along roads, mechanised sweeping, deployment of special teams at the 13 hotspots, deployment of anti- smog guns and other actions are underway in the city in accordance with the Commission for Air Quality Management’s(CAQM) Graded Response Action Plan(GRAP) stages- I & II that are invoked across the Delhi- NCR region.

Meanwhile, NCR cities sharing their borders with Delhi including Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Noida and Sonipat reeled under the ‘poor’ AQI levels on Thursday, with index values below 301, the CPCB said.