Delhi’s air quality remained severe for a second consecutive day on November 15, as a thick layer of toxic smog once again enveloped the national capital and neighbouring areas, data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows.
With an air quality index (AQI) reading of 424, the Delhi government ordered primary classes to be moved online even as the third stage of the graded response action plan (GRAP) kicked in.
The air quality deteriorated from the previous day’s reading of 418. Chandigarh, too, also registered AQI of over 400.
Thirteen of 249 cities for which data was available on November 14 had an AQI of over 300, another 24 had an AQI of over 250.
An AQI reading of above 200 is considered poor. Nearly a third of Indian cities had air quality levels exceeding 200.
The number of cities with good air quality, however, also improved on November 14, with 37 cities' AQI at less than 50.
Mumbai and Kolkata, had AQI levels of above 100 and 200.
Chennai's AQI reading was 44, Bengaluru 52 and Hyderabad 93.
Among the international cities, New York’s AQI was 28, better than 238 Indian cities. London’s reading of 61 was lower than 178 Indian cities, while Beijing’s AQI at 93 was better than 174 Indian cities.
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