'Toxic haze grips city': Delhi continues to breathe poison as air quality remains 'very poor'

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on Saturday, with the city recording an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 359 in the morning, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System. The figure marks a slight improvement from Friday's average AQI of 364, but the capital continued to remain blanketed under a dense layer of toxic smog.

At ITO, the AQI stood at 370, while Noida's Sector 125 recorded a 'severe' AQI of 434, though marginally better than a day earlier. In Greater Noida, the Knowledge Park 5 area registered an AQI of 393 and Knowledge Park 3 remained in the 'poor' category at 294.

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The IGI Airport area recorded a 'poor' AQI of 296, while India Gate remained under a dense haze at 370. Akshardham recorded 'severe' air quality at 422. Bawana reported 419, Anand Vihar 422, Ashok Vihar 403, Aya Nagar 330 ('very poor') and Rohini 414.

In the wider NCR, Gurugram's Sector 51 recorded an AQI of 323, Teri Gram 212 ('poor') and NISE Gwal Pahari 312.

Delhi also recorded a minimum temperature of 13°C.

Amid worsening air quality, the Delhi high court earlier directed that all outdoor sports events be cancelled after schoolchildren complained that winter pollution was harming their health. Justice Sachin Datta said authorities were failing to protect children and must revise the sports calendar to avoid outdoor events during toxic winter months.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered that construction workers rendered jobless due to GRAP-3 restrictions in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan must receive subsistence allowances.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage III, in effect since November 11 as directed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), continues across the capital. The curbs include stricter restrictions on construction, vehicular movement and industrial activity to curb emissions.