New Delhi: For the first time post-Diwali, Delhi’s air quality improved marginally and moved up to the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday. As per the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the hourly air quality index (AQI) for New Delhi at 7 am stood at 372. An AQI between zero 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’.

Notably, Delhi recorded ‘severe’ air quality for three days on the trot till Monday due to accumulation of emissions from fireworks on Diwali and crop residue burning amid unfavourable meteorological conditions — low temperature, wind speed and mixing height.

Though 5,450 farm fires, the highest this season, were recorded in neighboring states on Sunday, their share in Delhi’s air pollution reduced from 48 per cent a day ago, the highest in three years, to 30 per cent on Monday due to a drop in transport-level wind speed, according to air quality forecast agency SAFAR.

Meanwhile, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai will hold a meeting with officials from concerned departments today to discuss on necessary steps required to reduce air pollution in the national capital.

“We have called a meeting of all departments concerned, including environment department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Public Works Department (PWD) and municipal corporations, at the Delhi secretariat to discuss what more can be done to reduce Delhi’s own share of pollution,” Rai stated yesterday.

”The discussion will be held on what steps can be taken to help the people of Delhi breathe better and get relief from increased pollution as soon as possible,” Rai said inspecting the sprinkling of water on the road to control dust pollution near the Supreme Court on Monday afternoon.