Delhi's air quality expected to deteriorate significantly on Sunday: SAFAR

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality is expected to "significantly deteriorate" on Sunday due to a decline in temperature which might lead to entrapment of pollutants, a government agency said Thursday.

According to a senior official at the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), the air quality even after "significant deterioration" is likely to stay in "very poor" level and not reach the "severe" category. The SAFAR in its daily report said air quality was likely to "deteriorate significantly" on Sunday due to a fall in temperature, which could lead to entrapment of pollutants. 

Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Thursday due to "unfavourable meteorological conditions" that slowed down the dispersion of pollutants, authorities said. The overall air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 353, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".