The weather department on Tuesday predicted dense fog for Wednesday in the city with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 24 degrees Celsius and 6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
It should be noted that the national capital on Tuesday recorded a minimum temperature of 5.9 degrees Celsius, 2.2 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature settled at 24.4 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, with the weather department forecasting dense fog going ahead.
No cold wave conditions prevailed in any part of the city on Tuesday, with humidity levels fluctuating between 67 per cent and 97 per cent during the day.
As per the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Delhi's air quality has worsened further, with levels again breaching the 400 mark and falling into the 'severe' category.
At 7 AM on Tuesday, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) was 421. AQI values in areas including Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Alipur ranged from 400 to 470, signifying hazardous air quality.
Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classified the local air quality in the "Very Poor" category. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported the minimum temperature in Delhi as 5 degrees Celsius.
Bhagat Singh, a local resident, remarked, "Pollution has become an incurable disease, especially for Delhi. This is a problem every year. Earlier, several people went for a morning walk here, but now, a lot of them have quit due to pollution. A willpower by the government is needed to resolve this issue."
Another resident stated, "The temperature was about 7 degrees Celsius, and because of the fog, cars were not visible on the road. However, as soon as the fog cleared, we could see the cars."
The Sub-Committee of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday night with "immediate effect" in response to declining air quality.
This decision came after Delhi's AQI surpassed the 400 mark. On Monday night, the AQI was reported as 399 at 9 PM and crossed into the severe zone at 401 by 10 PM.
Earlier, GRAP-III restrictions had been re-imposed across the NCR after the AQI breached the 350 mark amid "highly unfavourable meteorological conditions" and "other factors affecting the dispersion of pollutants."
