Cold wave grips Delhi, fog blankets city amid air quality concerns (PHOTOS)

Delhi woke up to a foggy Monday morning as a cold wave tightened its grip on the city. The minimum temperature dipped to 7.0 degrees Celsius, bringing a wintry chill to the national capital. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a cloudy sky with light rain later in the day, with maximum temperatures likely to hover around 24 degrees Celsius.

In a slight relief, Delhi's air quality improved from the 'severe' to the 'very poor' category on Monday, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 389. This comes after a weekend of alarming pollution levels. On Sunday, the city's AQI hit 409, placing it in the ‘severe’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Saturday saw an AQI of 370, classified as 'very poor.' However, Sunday recorded dangerously high PM2.5 levels, with 37 out of 39 monitoring stations reporting air quality in the 'severe plus' category.

PM2.5 particles, known for their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs, remain the primary pollutant in Delhi's air. Prolonged exposure to such high levels poses serious health risks, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Delhi continues to operate under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). This phase includes stringent measures to curb pollution, such as a complete ban on construction activities and restrictions on non-essential polluting trucks entering the city.

An AQI between 0-50 is classified as 'good,' 51-100 as 'satisfactory,' 101-200 as 'moderate,' 201-300 as 'poor,' 301-400 as 'very poor,' and 401-500 as 'severe.' The capital's air quality has been oscillating between 'very poor' and 'severe,' reflecting the ongoing challenge of pollution control despite active mitigation efforts.