Delhi's air quality turns 'very poor'; Gopal Rai to chair key meeting today

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will chair a meeting with departments concerned on the implementation of mitigating measures under the central government's pollution control plan, officials said.

Delhi's air quality dipped to "very poor" levels on Sunday, the first time this season, due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

The capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) dropped to 313 (very poor) on Sunday from 248 on Saturday.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for proactively implementing the pollution control plan known as the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), had on Saturday directed authorities in the NCR to increase parking fees to discourage private transport and enhance the services of CNG or electric buses and metro trains amid a likely increase in pollution levels.

GRAP categorises actions into four stages: Stage I 'Poor' (AQI 201-300); Stage II 'Very Poor' (AQI 301-400); Stage III 'Severe' (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV 'Severe Plus' (AQI >450).

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