Delhi’s air quality remains in ’moderate’ category, AQI stands at 149

The air quality in the National capital on Friday morning continued to be in the 'moderate' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 149, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR-India) data at 10 am showed. The overall AQI saw an increase as in the morning it was recorded at 117.

Notably, the AQI has increased from 83 on Wednesday to 149 on Friday. India's financial capital which beat Delhi on 18 October on poor air quality have recorded ‘moderate’ category air for the second consecutive day with AQI at 132.

As per SAFAR, AQI at Delhi airport (T3) was registered at193, IIT Delhi recorded 108, Noida recorded AQI at 132. Areas like Delhi University, Dhirpur recorded AQI at 249, and 280 respectively. As per SAFAR, some areas like Pusa, Lodhi road, Mathura road, Gurugram recorded ‘satisfactory air’ with AQI at 95, 81, 81, 97 respectively.

As per Central Pollution Control Board, poor air was recorded in areas like Burari with AQI at 248, Dwarka Sector-8 recorded 236 AQI, Jahangirpuri recorded 201 AQI, RK Puram recorded 213 AQI , Rohini recorded 243 AQI while Wazirpur recorded AQI at 205 all in ‘poor’ category. 

According to the AQI scale, the air quality check of between 0 and 50 are is "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 450 "severe"

Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Board also held a meeting at the Secretariat. However, the concerns around a possible decline in air quality or pollution in general were not discussed at the meeting, Anil Gupta, an expert member of the panel had said.

The Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms that are easy to understand. There are six AQI categories, namely Good Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Each of these categories is decided based on ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints).

(With inputs from agencies)