New Delhi: The overall air quality of Delhi is back to being ‘very poor’ on Monday morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) showing a level of 340, said the private environmental firm System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

Though the drizzle on Sunday morning helped to bring down the pollution level from ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’, there is no respite for Delhiites as the dropping temperature and high levels of humidity will hold the pollutants in the air. SAFAR said the AQI is expected to increase gradually from Tuesday.

Delhi recorded its lowest pollution level of this year on Sunday after a spell of rain, but the air quality remained in the 'very poor' category, authorities said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city was 338.

An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under 'moderate' category, 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', while that between 401 and 500 is 'severe'.

Delhi's air quality has been oscillating between upper range of 'very poor' and 'severe' category for the past two weeks.

The overall PM2.5 level (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers) in Delhi was recorded at 184 while the PM10 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometers) level was at 274, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.

With PTI inputs