Delhi air quality improves slightly, overall AQI in 'poor' category today

After several days in the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, Delhi’s air quality eased into the ‘poor’ bracket on Tuesday, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 292, according to data by the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB).

 

Seventeen of the city’s 39 monitoring stations still recorded AQI levels above 300, but most showed signs of improvement compared with last week. Anand Vihar, however, remained in the ‘very poor’ category, registering an AQI of 319. Bawana recorded the highest AQI in Delhi at 342, while IGI Airport registered the lowest at 215.

 

On Monday, the 24-hour average AQI stood at 314 at 4 pm, while morning readings recorded an AQI of 318, a slight dip from Sunday’s 308, though still within the ‘very poor’ range. CPCB's Sameer app reported that 27 stations fell under ‘very poor’ and 11 under ‘poor’ air quality during Monday morning- they were not updated in the evening.

 

According to CPCB, an AQI of 0–50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 ‘moderate’, 201–300 ‘poor’, 301–400 ‘very poor’, and 401–500 ‘severe’.

 

What is causing this increased pollution in Delhi?

 

Delhi’s Decision Support System for air quality management attributed 17.7 per cent of local pollution to transport, 8.5 per cent to industries within the city and its peripheries, 4.3 per cent to residential sources, 2.4 per cent to construction, and 1.6 per cent to waste burning. Among neighbouring districts, Jhajjar contributed 11.5 per cent, Sonipat 8 per cent, Rohtak 5.1 per cent, Jind 3.4 per cent, and Gurgaon 1 per cent.

 

Delhi weather forecast

 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast partly cloudy skies today with surface wind speeds of 15–25 kmph. Temperatures are expected to range from a minimum of 9 degrees Celsius to a maximum of 24 degrees Celsius.

 

On Monday, the IMD recorded a maximum temperature of 26.3 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees below normal, and a minimum of 8.7 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees below average. Relative humidity ranged between 84 per cent in the morning and 52 per cent in the evening.