Delhi's AQI remains in 'poor' category just ahead of Diwali

New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): As people across the country, including Delhi, are gearing up for Diwali, the problem of air quality is also coming to the fore, as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital touched 266 on Saturday evening.
As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the AQI index in the overall Delhi region was in the 'Poor' category at 266, 'very poor' category in the Delhi University area at 327, 'poor' quality in Mathura Road at 293 and in 'moderate' category in Gurugram at 156 on Saturday evening.

Earlier today in the morning, images appeared of a blanket of smog engulfing the national capital as the pollution level deteriorated to the "poor" category.
On Friday, Delhi's AQI was in the poor category. The levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 109 in the 'very poor' and 228 in the 'moderate' category respectively.
The air quality in Noida was recorded as 'very poor' with AQI 306 while in Gurugram it is in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 156, on Friday.
An AQI between zero 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.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said that Delhi-NCR's Air Quality Index (AQI) will likely be 300 plus on October 22.
The CAQM in its tweet said that air quality will move towards "Very Poor" and further actions under Stage I will be intensified.
"All actions as envisaged under Stage II of the GRAP - 'Very POOR' Air Quality to be implemented in the right earnest and further actions under Stage I to be intensified by all the agencies concerned," read the tweet from CAQM.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has banned the production, storage, sale, and bursting of crackers this year as well as fines and jail terms in case of violation.
In a bid to reduce vehicular pollution, the Delhi Government also announced the 'Red Light On Gaadi Off' campaign.
Under the campaign, public representatives and officials will motivate commuters to turn their vehicles off at red lights in a bid to curb vehicular pollution.
The air quality in the national capital is also affected because of stubble burning in surrounding Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan in the winter. (ANI)