Delhi AQI dips to ‘very poor’, set to deteriorate further

The air quality has deteriorated even as the Delhi government is implementing the odd-even scheme and the Graded Response Action Plan.
Children wear mask to protect themselves from pollution as a the air quality dips to ‘very poor’ category, in New Delhi. (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)
Children wear mask to protect themselves from pollution as a the air quality dips to ‘very poor’ category, in New Delhi. (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)

NEW DELHI: After some relief, air quality in the national capital deteriorated again on Monday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling to the “very poor” category.   

One reason for this is stubble burning on Sunday and a decrease in the surface wind speed over the Delhi region forecast for the next two days, as per  the Ministry of Earth Science’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

“Western disturbance is located as a cyclonic circulation over Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining north Pakistan. Under its influence, no rainfall is expected in the Delhi region but the sky will be partly cloudy during the next two days. The AQI is likely to deteriorate to the lower end of the severe category by tomorrow. Further deterioration is expected by November 13. The condition may slightly improve by 14th November,” it said.

The air quality has deteriorated even as the Delhi government is implementing the odd-even scheme and the Graded Response Action Plan. However, the odd-even scheme was called off for November 11 and 12 for celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

The AQI was recorded above 400 in the outer areas, including the ITI Shahdara, National Institute of Malaria, Dwarka and Greater Noida in the morning.

The whole day, a blanket of smog covered the city, with the Central Pollution Control Board AQI readings in the evening showing an AQI of 349 in Siri Fort, 338 in Mandir Marg, 358 in ITO, 316 in Lodhi Road and 351 in CRRI, Mathura Road.

In the outer areas, the AQI was near the severe level, with Anand Vihar at 386, Aya Nagar at 340, Rohini at 395, Wazirpur at 388 and Ashok Vihar at 375.

Most of the 37 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded air quality in the ‘’very poor’’ category. An AQI between 201 and 300 is ‘poor’, 301-400 is ‘very poor’ and 401-500 is ‘severe’. An AQI above 500 falls in the severe plus category.

A public health emergency was declared in Delhi on Friday after the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached the severe-plus level and the PM 2.5 concentration reached 383 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

The Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority extended the Graded Response Action Plan measures taken in view of rising air pollution in the national capital to November 5 and the Delhi government issued the notification to implement the odd-even scheme from November 4 to 15.

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