Delhi's air quality improves to 'moderate' as strong wind clears pollutants

Delhi's AQI improves to 'moderate' but Grap curbs remain as parts of NCR still record 'poor' air; heatwave looms, artificial rain trial planned to tackle pollution

Delhi’s air quality improved, remaining in the ‘moderate’ category on Saturday morning, after being ‘poor’ for the past few days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 173 at 8 am on April 5, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), compared to 215 at the same time on Friday.

AQI across Delhi-NCR

Air quality across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) deteriorated, falling in the ‘moderate’ or ‘poor’ category. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 219 at 4 pm on April 4. Gurugram in Haryana recorded an improved AQI of 118, while Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh recorded AQIs of 164 and 246, respectively. Ghaziabad’s AQI also dropped to 252, placing it in the ‘poor’ category.

 

CAQM invokes Grap Stage I curbs

On April 2, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi-NCR after the city’s AQI entered the ‘poor’ category.

 

Under Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is activated when the AQI falls between 201 and 300, several measures are enforced. Authorities conduct stringent checks on polluting vehicles to ensure compliance with emission norms, while traffic management is intensified to reduce congestion and vehicular emissions. Additionally, industries, power plants, and brick kilns are required to implement stricter emission control measures to minimise their environmental impact.

 

Authorities have urged residents to support Grap by following guidelines such as keeping vehicle engines well-tuned, maintaining proper tyre pressure, and ensuring that pollution control certificates are valid.

Delhi weather update

Delhi residents must be prepared for scorching days ahead, as the temperatures are expected to hit 42 degrees Celsius by April 10. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an intense heatwave is set to sweep across Northwest India in the coming days, pushing mercury levels higher across the region. The weather in Delhi has become relatively warm. Today's IMD forecast predicts clear sky conditions throughout the day with strong surface winds. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 38 to 40 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature will be around 18 degrees Celsius. Surface winds are likely to blow at 10–20 kmph, occasionally gusting up to 30 kmph. 

Artificial rain to combat pollution

The Delhi government is expected to conduct a trial for artificial rain in May as part of its broader strategy to combat air pollution, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Thursday. The trial will take place in an area in outer Delhi, with the final site to be chosen by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and IIT Kanpur. 

“This is a war against pollution and we are implementing multiple measures, one of which is artificial rain,” Sirsa said. “Before rolling it out on a larger scale, we aim to conduct a trial in May when summer is at its peak.” 

The minister added that authorities have requested detailed reports to assess whether chemicals used in cloud seeding could have adverse effects on human health or the environment. Based on the findings, a small-scale trial will be conducted, with water samples analysed. If successful, the project may be expanded across Delhi during periods of severe pollution.