New Delhi (PTI): People in Delhi got a slight respite from bone-chilling temperatures after a five-day cold wave spell, with the city recording a minimum temperature of 4.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday, around two notches up from a day earlier.
However, temperatures remained well below normal.
Safdarjung station's 4.3 degrees Celsius was 3.3 notches below the normal. Palam recorded a minimum of 4.7 degrees Celsius, 2.8 notches below normal, while Lodhi Road logged 4.7 degrees Celsius, 1.3 notches below normal.
The Ridge station recorded a relatively higher minimum of 6 degrees Celsius, though it was still 3.5 notches below normal, and Ayanagar reported 4.3 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum temperature is expected to settle around 22 degrees Celsius.
On Thursday, Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 2.9 degrees Celsius, the lowest January minimum since 2023. Palam had recorded a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, its lowest since 2010.
Meanwhile, air quality in the national capital remained in the very poor category.
The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 348, with 33 stations recording 'very poor' air quality, four stations in the 'poor' category and one station in the 'severe' range. Pusa recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 403.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
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Guwahati (PTI): Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said.
In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.
Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning.
An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.
Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP’s Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF’s Charan Boro are also in the fray.
The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).
Opposition alliance’s Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.
The ruling NDA’s main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).
The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.
