BackDelhi's air quality continues to be 'very poor', may improve on Monday
'There's possibility of improvement in air quality in coming 2-3 days but it'll stay in poor-to-very poor category for next 1-2 weeks because of calm winds,' says head of Environment Monitoring and Research Center
PremiumNew Delhi: Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on Saturday with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 347.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said that some locations entered 'severe' zone but that will be short lived as winds are expected to increase slightly.
Some areas like Mundka, Wazirpur and Alipur recorded 'severe' levels of air pollution, authorities said.
It said the air quality could improve on October 26.
"The overall Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the very poor category with few Delhi locations entering at higher zone but that will be short lived. This is mainly because the extremely calm local surface winds which were prevailing yesterday are likely to increase slightly and may further pick-up by Oct 26," SAFAR said.
It also said the AQI is predicted to continue to remain in 'very poor' category but without further deterioration.
"Slow improvement in the current condition is expected by October 26 leading to a middle range of very poor," it said.
SAFAR synergized stubble fire counts stood at 1,292 on Friday and its share in Delhi's pollution was nine per cent.
"The boundary layer wind direction is westerly and wind speed is low. Hence, pollutant transport towards the Delhi region will remain low. The SAFAR model estimate of stubble burning share in PM2.5 is 9 per cent for today," it said.
Tomorrow Delhi's AQI will go from very poor to poor category. There's possibility of improvement in coming 2-3 days but it'll stay in poor-very poor category for next 1-2 weeks because of calm winds: Dr Vijay Kumar Soni, Head, Environment Monitoring and Research Center (EMRC).
The air quality index (AQI) on Friday was recorded 366 while it was 302 on the previous day.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
A significant increase in stubble fire count was observed around Haryana, Punjab, and neighbouring regions on Thursday which stood at 1,213.
Ten monitoring stations in Delhi entered the 'severe' zone on Friday according to the AQI monitoring mobile application SAMEER, developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
PM 2.5 are tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter and can enter deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream.
The stubble fire count for Wednesday was 1,428.
The 24-hour average Delhi's AQI was recorded at 256 on Wednesday, 223 on Tuesday and 244 the day before.
The figures are based on data collected from 36 monitoring stations in the city.
The Delhi government has kick-started its 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' anti-pollution campaign for which it has deployed 2,500 environment marshals at 100 traffic signals across the city to generate awareness and curb vehicular pollution.
The drive will be implemented in all 70 assembly constituencies from October 26 and will go on till November 15 from 8 am to 8 pm.
It is an awareness drive by the Delhi government and no person will be issued challans, the government has said.
Delhi's air quality index (AQI) on Saturday deteriorated to the 'severe' category, which is likely to affect people's health, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee data (DPCC).
The AQI in Alipur was at 432 while it stood at 427 and 409 in Mundka and Wazirpur, respectively.
According to experts, the severe category affects the health of people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.
An AQI between 0-50 is marked good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor and 401-500 is considered severe.
Amid the rise in pollution levels, people are having problems with breathing and some children have started facing throat problems due to contaminated air.
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