New Delhi [India], December 22 (ANI): The national capital was enveloped in a thick layer of toxic smog on Monday evening, significantly impairing visibility and affecting residents as the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading soared at 390 at around 11 pm, falling into the 'severe' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The air quality spiked to 'severe' levels at certain places. Multiple parts of the city continued to witness alarmingly high pollution levels.

Several pollution hotspots included Anand Vihar (432), Ashok Vihar (407), and the ITO area (429), also falling under the 'severe' category across large swathes of the national capital.

India Gate, Kartavya Path and Rashtrapati Bhavan were blanketed by toxic smog, with an AQI of 384 in the area, categorised as 'Very Poor'.

In response to deteriorating air quality, GRAP 4 was invoked in the national capital to curb extreme air pollution, and truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed.

According to AQI categorisation, 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Government has taken a series of decisive steps to curb rising pollution levels in the national capital and ensure a cleaner environment. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterated that the government will enforce a zero-tolerance policy against all sources of pollution.

A high-level review meeting was held today at the Delhi Secretariat to assess pollution control measures and take effective decisions. Key decisions include strict enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms without any waiver of challans, exploring pooled and shared electric bus services in Delhi-NCR, issuing new guidelines for e-rickshaws and rationalising Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus routes.

Senior officials from the Environment and Transport Departments, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Traffic Police, along with Environment Minister Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa, were present at the meeting. (ANI)