BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla wears gas mask to protest at Delhi's 'Smog Tower' as city's AQI drops to 293

Delhi woke up to a layer of smog on Friday as the AQI dropped to 293, with certain areas facing even worse air quality.

Prompted by the same, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla reached the national capital's 'Smog Tower' in a gas mask to protest against the AAP government in regard to air pollution in the city, news agency ANI reported.

At the site, Poonawalla said, "Today Delhi has become a gas chamber due to blame game politics of Aam Aadmi Party. They had made big promises that they would make Delhi pollution-free. Look at the condition of Yamuna today and Delhi has become a gas chamber. Aam Aadmi Party bans firecrackers on Diwali but the smog tower on which Rs 23 crore was spent has been locked... The way Aam Aadmi Party has cheated people in the name of pollution and is working to make Delhi the most poisonous and polluted city, this will be exposed."

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.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 19.2 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees above normal.

Humidity was at 91 percent at 8.30 am, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The weather department has predicted clear sky for the day, with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 36 degrees Celsius.

In view of the rising pollution level in Anand Vihar, where the AQI dropped to 339 on Friday, Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai on Thursday had directed to take necessary steps for all 13 hotspots of the national capital.

An emergency meeting of all officials concerned has been called at the Delhi Secretariat today to run a special campaign on all 13 hotspots of Delhi.

(With PTI Inputs)