Breathless in capital

Air quality in parts of Delhi improved to the relatively cleaner "very poor" level as some brisk breeze cleaned out particulate matter hovering over the city since Diwali, but most areas remained in the very hazardous "severe" zone, data from the weather office showed

The region is likely to get good breeze for a few more days, which is expected to clear up the sky further and improve air quality to "poor" level, which is two rungs better than the prevailing level of pollution

Pollution in Delhi and nearby areas jumped to unprecedented levels after Diwali because of a combination of adverse weather conditions that slowed down the breeze, smoke from fires lit in Punjab and Haryana to clear crop residue and pollution from firecrackers and emissions

The concentration of large particles called PM10 and very fine and more dangerous particulates called PM2.5 has already halved since the weekend, but it remains very hazardous even though the sky looked clear after more than a week.