Amid the biting chill prevailing in the entire North Indian belt, the cold tightened its hold on the national capital on Thursday, with the minimum temperature recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius in the city, according to the India Metrological Department (IMD).
The overall air quality index in the national capital slipped to the 'Very Poor' category on Sunday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) informed.
The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, as per SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), was recorded at 276 on Thursday morning.
The air quality in the national capital remained in the 'severe' category on Saturday.
The air quality in Delhi was recorded at 404 at 7:46 am on Saturday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR-India).
According to the officials, a pair of female lions from Alipur Zoo in Kolkata and another pair from Tripura will be brought in the first week of January next year. The construction works of an enclosure on 20 acres of land and night shelters are about to be completed.
"For the past few days, the wind speed in Delhi has reduced, leading to an increase in pollution. Seeing that, we have convened a meeting today with the DPCC and officials to review the situation and discuss further steps that can be taken," he told ANI.
The air quality in the national capital continued to hover in the 'very poor' category on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at over 350 in several areas, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR-India).
Delhi Minister for Environment Gopal Rai said that restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan-3 will continue till air quality improves in the city.
The National Capital continued to experience 'very poor' air quality on Thursday morning, with an air quality index (AQI) of 324, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR-India).