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Business News/ News / India/  Delhi air quality improves as gusty winds sweep city, review of curbs on Monday
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Delhi air quality improves as gusty winds sweep city, review of curbs on Monday

Winds gusting up to 20 kilometres per hour swept through the city, dispersing pollutants partially and improving visibility

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will review the restriction implemented in the city to check air pollution. (HT_PRINT)Premium
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will review the restriction implemented in the city to check air pollution. (HT_PRINT)

Air quality visibly improved in Delhi after strong surface winds swept through the city on Sunday. Following the improvement, the authorities will now reassess the restriction placed across the national capital in order to curb air pollution.

Currently, schools in Delhi are closed for physical classes till further orders in view of air pollution situation. Following orders from the Commission for Air Quality Management, the Delhi government had on Wednesday issued 10 directions, which also include a ban on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into the city, ban on construction and demolition activities in the city and an order for its employees to work from home till November 21, Sunday.

Also Read: Delhi pollution: All schools to remain shut till further orders

Now Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will hold a high-level review meeting on Monday regarding the curbs.

“The environment department has directed to close all schools till further orders of the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and adjoining areas. Therefore, all government and private schools will remain closed till further orders," Additional Director of Education Rita Sharma said on Sunday.

Winds gusting up to 20 kilometres per hour swept through the city, dispersing pollutants partially and improving visibility. The city recorded its 24-hour average air quality index at 349, down from 374 on Saturday. Neighbouring Faridabad (377), Ghaziabad (319), Gurugram (364) and Noida (322) also recorded their air quality in the 'very poor' category.

R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said wind speed reached up to 20 kmph during the day, improving visibility from 800 metres in the morning to the range of 2,200 metres to 3,000 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Safdarjung Airport.

Also Read: Delhi air quality likely to improve from today. These are most-polluted zones

Winds gusting up to 30 kilometres per hour are likely on Monday, the IMD said.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor SAFAR said, “As farm fire counts are reducing rapidly, the share of stubble burning-related pollutants in Delhi's PM2.5 (pollution) may remain negligible on Monday in spite of high (transport-level) wind speeds."

Stubble burning accounted for eight per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Sunday.

"Relatively high surface winds and moderate mixing layer height results in efficient ventilation of near surface pollutants. The air quality is likely to improve to the lower end of the very poor category over the next two days," it said.

However, a likely drop in air temperature and surface wind speed from November 24 might lead to accumulation of pollutants.

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Published: 21 Nov 2021, 06:40 PM IST
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