NEW DELHI — The quality of air over the Indian capital and nearby areas improved from “Very Poor” to the “Poor” category on Tuesday.

As per the data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 221 on Tuesday which is categorised as “Poor”. The air quality had been in the “Very Poor” category over the past few days.

As the air quality improved, the federal government’s sub-committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi and adjoining areas relaxed the restrictions related to construction and transportation activities.

However, in a bid to curb air pollution, the sub-committee directed the concerned agencies to ensure vacuum-based sweeping of roads, water sprinkling and regular inspection and strict enforcement of dust control at construction and demolition sites.

Air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas normally rises during winter months. Stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states, particularly Haryana and Punjab, and vehicular pollution are often cited as reasons leading to the rise in air pollution in the national capital region (NCR), which also include adjacent cities like Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and others. (Xinhua)