Delhi's clean-air respite short-lived as AQI rises to 117

Delhis air quality declined to the moderate category on Saturday after enjoying a brief respite in the satisfactory category the previous day.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) settled at 117, up from 60 recorded on Friday.

The AQI of 60 on Friday marked the cleanest October air in four years. The last time Delhi experienced a lower AQI in October was on October 10, 2022, when the index was at 44.

Of the 58 air quality monitoring stations in the city, 24 recorded satisfactory air quality, 32 were in the moderate category, and two recorded poor air quality. Jahangirpuri recorded the worst AQI at 243, followed by Punjabi Bagh at 212.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as good, 51 and 100 as satisfactory, 101 and 200 as moderate, 201 and 300 as poor, 301 and 400 as very poor, and 401 and 500 as severe.