Despite a marginal improvement in Delhi's air quality, it remained in the "poor" category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This comes a day after rain washed away the toxic haze and provided some relief to residents in the national capital and adjacent areas.
According to the data by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), as of 6 am on Saturday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 339, marking a significant drop from the severe levels recorded 24 hours ago. CPCB data shows that specific areas, including Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, RK Puram, and ITO, recorded AQI values of 282, 236, 220, and 263, respectively.
The 24-hour average AQI, a crucial measure of air quality, fell considerably from 452 in the ‘severe’ category at 2 am on Friday to 262 in the ‘poor’ category at 6 pm, as reported by the CPCB. The Safdarjung weather station, Delhi’s base observatory, recorded 5.8 mm of rainfall until 8.30 am and an additional 4.2 mm until 5.30 pm.
In the last week or so, the city’s air quality reached alarming levels — up to 100 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit, reported NDTV. Thursday marked the seventh consecutive day of ‘severe’ pollution, exacerbated by low wind speeds that hindered the dispersion of accumulated pollutants.
In response to the pollution crisis, the Delhi Police conducted inspections of trucks carrying non-essential goods at the Ghazipur and Tikri borders on Friday night, in adherence to GRAP 4 regulations. The fourth stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP Stage IV) restricts entry into the city to CNG, electric and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other states, with exceptions for essential services.
On a positive note, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) anticipates an increase in wind speeds from the current 5-6 kmph to around 15 kmph on November 11, following the passage of a western disturbance. This wind speed is expected to aid in the dispersion of pollutants, potentially improving air quality ahead of Diwali.
The weather department’s forecast indicates “mainly clear skies with shallow fog” for Saturday, with similar conditions expected in the coming days.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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