'Very poor' air quality in Delhi; minimum temp at 8.3 degrees Celsius

Delhi on Saturday recorded "very poor” air quality and a minimum temperature of 8.3 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal.

The maximum temperature is likely to settle at 27 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said. Mist and shallow fog are predicted in the capital over the next few days and the mercury is likely to dip to 6 degrees Celsius by December 16, it said.

The city recorded an air quality index of 337 at 9 am. The 24-hour average was 314 on Friday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered ’poor’, 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 ’severe’.

As pollution levels in the capital surged to severe levels on Sunday, the Commission for Air Quality Management directed authorities in Delhi-NCR to implement curbs under stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan, including a ban on non-essential construction work.

The restrictions were revoked on Thursday after the air pollution was ameliorated.