No respite from toxic air as Delhi records zero days of below-200 AQI in December so far

Visual from around India Gate as a layer of toxic smog blankets the city.

There was little respite for residents from the capital's hazardous air this December, as the city has not recorded even a single day of 'moderate' air quality, while nearly 20 days so far have seen pollution levels hover in the red zone.

The 'moderate' category -- marked by Air Quality Index (AQI) readings below 200 -- has not been recorded at all this December.

In contrast, during the same period last year, the national capital had recorded six days of moderate air quality.

Overall, December last year saw eight days with AQI levels below 200, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.

Last December also recorded eight 'poor' air quality days, with AQI readings above 200, and six days of 'severe' readings, when levels crossed the 400-mark.

Between December 1 and 7 last year, Delhi's air quality largely remained in the 'moderate' to 'poor' range, except for one day when it deteriorated to the 'very poor' zone above 300, before improving again the next day to the 'moderate' category.

This December, however, the air quality has persistently remained in the red zone with AQI readings above 300 from December 1 to 8.

The city saw brief relief for two consecutive days when pollution levels dipped to the 'poor' category, before returning to the red zone on December 11 and remaining there since, the data showed.

Apart from those two days, Delhi air has largely remained 'very poor', with AQI levels hovering above 300 for most of the month.

On Monday, the city recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 373 at 4 pm, once again in the 'very poor' category, according to CPCB data.

As per CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

The capital's air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category over the next six days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System.