NEW DELHI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The air pollution level in Indian capital city New Delhi has become severe on Friday, officials said.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall air quality index (AQI) remained in severe category at 410.
"The AQI in Delhi at 1:00 p.m. (local time) today was recorded at 410," data released by CPCB said. "The air quality is severe and prominent pollutants are PM 2.5."
Health officials have advised people, especially those with respiratory illness, in Delhi to minimise outdoor exposure until the improvement in air quality.
Doctors say severe air quality affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing pulmonary diseases.
As per CPCB, AQI between 0 - 50 is considered "good", between 51 - 100 "satisfactory", between 101 - 200 "moderate", between 201 - 300 "poor", between 301 - 400 "very poor", and between 401 - 500 "severe" and beyond 500 is severe plus emergency.
Air pollution continues to worsen in New Delhi and it gets aggravated during winter months due to slow wind speed and falling temperatures. On Thursday Delhi registered the season's lowest minimum temperature at 7.6 degree Celsius.
Last month air quality in the city remained in a hazardous range for several days. The local government even implemented car rationing scheme know as "odd-even" formula to tackle rising air pollution in the city.
Delhi tops the chart of the most polluted city in the world.
Industrial activities and vehicular traffic are significant contributors to air pollution in the city, along with rampant construction.
