New Delhi:

Delhi recorded “poor” air quality for the third consecutive day on Wednesday and is more likely to deteriorate to “very poor” levels by Friday.

According to the Central Air Pollution Authority, the capital’s 24-hour general air quality index (AQI) is 264. The AQI was 227 on Tuesday, 294 on Monday and 303 on Sunday.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered “poor”, between 301 and 400 is considered “very poor”, and between 401 and 500 is considered “extreme”.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the city recorded a lower-than-normal temperature of 13.2 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 27.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

The IMD mentioned that temperatures are more likely to drop by as much as two degrees Celsius over the next three to four days.

Punjab reported 1,358 farm fires on Wednesday, compared with 141 on Tuesday, according to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

Farm fires accounted for 4 percent of PM2.5 air pollution in Delhi on Wednesday, according to SAFAR, a forecasting firm under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

In view of the air quality developments, the Air Quality Authority on Monday directed the authorities to withdraw the restrictions imposed in Delhi-NCR under Phase 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan with quick impact. Restrictions under stage three include a ban on construction and demolition operations, except for essential tasks.

(Apart from the title, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and was printed from a syndicated feed.)