Page 33 - Air Quality Index

Intense, frequent heatwaves measurably worsening air quality: WMO

Increasingly intense and frequent heatwaves, compounded by wildfires and desert dust, is measurably worsening air quality, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Putting heatwaves in the spotlight, the report showed that heatwaves in the US and Europe, triggering wildfires and accompanied by desert dust intrusions, respectively, both led to dangerous air quality in 2022, affecting human health and environment. It is not just high temperatures which are a hazard, but the impacts of resulting pollution, often overlooked, are just as pernicious, the 2023 WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, the third in an annual series, said. Air quality and climate are interconnected because the chemical agents affecting both are linked. This is because the substances contributing to climate change and degrading air quality are often emitted by the same sources. For example, fossil fuel combustion emitting carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO) can lead to t

Delhi records best air quality so far this year with AQI of 59: CAQM

Delhi on Saturday recorded its cleanest air quality so far this year with an AQI of 59, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Intermittent rain in most parts of Delhi has played a role in improving the national capital's air quality and keeping temperatures in check. "Delhi today registered its best AQI of 2023. Delhi's average AQI clocked 59 today. The earlier recorded best AQI of Delhi during current year was 64 on 9th July. Let's continue working together towards cleaner skies and a healthier environment," the CAQM said in a tweet. An AQI between zero 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'. Delhi on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 31.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, and a minimum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department ...

Delhi has witnessed 30% improvement in air quality: Minister Gopal Rai

While air pollution is steadily rising across the country, the national capital has witnessed a 30 per cent improvement in its air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday. Rai was speaking at the launch of the annual sapling plantation drive from the campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here. During the drive, which usually begins during the monsoon, saplings will be planted across the Delhi to increase the city's green cover. "Air pollution in Delhi has reduced by 30 per cent while it has steadily increased in the rest of the country," the minister said at the launch of the drive. Rai also launched an online portal to allow Delhi residents to book free saplings. "The city government is close to delivering on its promise of planting two crore saplings in the national capital in five years," he said. "Before the state elections, we promised to plant two crore saplings. We planted 32 lakh in 2020-21, 35 lakh in 2021-2022, 50 lakh in 2022-23 and

Improving Delhi's air quality has been most difficult task: CM Kejriwal

A day after the Environment Ministry said Delhi registered the highest number of 'good to moderate' air quality days this year since 2016, barring 2020, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said improving air quality in the city has been the most difficult task. Delhi also experienced the least number of days with 'poor to severe' air quality in the first half-year period (January to June) in 2023, compared to the corresponding period since 2016, except for COVID-19 affected 2020. "This was perhaps the most difficult task -- improving air quality. But a series of steps taken by Delhiites helped us achieve this seemingly impossible task. Still a long way to go. But Delhi people have always done what others thought impossible," Kejriwal said in a tweet. The average AQI (air quality index) for Delhi during this period also remained in 'moderate' category -- below 200. Delhi reported its lowest average AQI during 2023 (JanuaryJune) compared to the corresponding period for the seven .

Canadian wildfires causing unhealthy air quality again in parts of US

Drifting smoke from the ongoing wildfires across Canada is creating curtains of haze and raising air quality concerns throughout the Great Lakes region, and in parts of the central and eastern United States. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Tuesday issued an air quality alert for the entire state, while in Chicago where the air quality has been categorised unhealthy by the US Environmental Protection Agency officials are urging young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors. Just driving into the zoo ... you could just see around the buildings, kind of just haze," said Shelly Woinowski, who was visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Some day care centres in the Chicago area have told parents that their children will remain indoors on Tuesday due to the poor air quality, while one youth sports club says it adjusted its activities to add more time indoors. We recommend children, teens, seniors, people with .

Officials to use anti-smog guns amid spike in AQI: Environment Minister

Owing to the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai Thursday directed officials to run anti-smog guns throughout the day and sprinkle water at construction and demolition (C&D) sites. The recent bump in the air quality index (AQI) of the national capital was due to strong dust-laden westerly winds from the Thar desert and Pakistan, Rai said at a review meeting with officials of his department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) at the Delhi Secretariat. "The Kejriwal government has always taken tough steps to curb increasing pollution in Delhi," an official statement quoted Rai as saying. The minister added, "On May 16 and 17, a significant portion of Delhi and NCR was engulfed by dust, causing reduced visibility." The contribution of dust pollution to PM10 levels rose from 11 per cent during May 1-15 to 65.77 per cent from May 16-17, Rai added. On Tuesday, the DPCC data showed PM10 levels soaring to 3,826 micrograms ..

Cool morning in Delhi, but temp expected to rise to 40 degrees Celsius

Thursday saw the temperature dip to 21.9 degrees Celsius, far below the average for the season, overall air quality sits at 190 (moderate category)

Urgent action needed for improving air in South-Asian countries: ICIMOD

Deteriorating air quality and hazardous levels of particulate matter (PM) in several South Asian countries, including India and Nepal, poses a severe risk to human health and must be addressed urgently, a Kathmandu-based intergovernmental knowledge centre warned on Wednesday. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a knowledge and learning centre working on behalf of the people of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region and its eight regional member countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. In a statement released on Wednesday, the organisation pointed to recent data and expressed concern about the rising PM levels. It added that an increase in PM level poses a severe risk to human health, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported. Doctors blame the worsening air quality as the main culprit for the rising number of patients suffering from respiratory illness, the report said. Air pollution, known to cause various ...

India eighth most polluted country in the world; Lahore most polluted city

Bhiwadi, located on the outskirts of Delhi, was ranked among the two most polluted cities in the world. Delhi followed it closely behind

39 Indian cities among world's 50 most polluted: Swiss firm report

The Swiss firm IQAir in its 'World Air Quality Report' released on Tuesday ranked India the world's eighth most polluted country in 2022, dropping from fifth place the previous year

Kerala govt to install air quality monitoring devices at hospitals in Kochi

The Kerala government has decided to install air quality monitoring devices in select hospitals of the coastal city, which is reeling under toxic haze from the fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. State Health Minister Veena George said installing the air quality monitoring devices will help identify the possibility of people getting sick due to the worsening air quality. "The devices will help identify the possibility of people falling sick and ensure preventive measures to be taken well in advance," George said in a release. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority has held an online discussion on the fire situation with the New York Fire Safety Department Deputy Chief, George Healy. During the meet, Haley urged the administration to remain cautious as there are chances that fire may breakout again even after it appears to have been doused, the district administration said in a statement. The New York Fire safety offi

Stage-I of GRAP revoked as overall Air Quality Index of Delhi improves

In view of improvement in the overall AQI of Delhi and also considering the meteorological and weather forecasts, authorities decided to revoke the orders under Stage-I of GRAP

Delhi's AQI remains in 'very poor' category for third consecutive day

Both the major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 304 in the very poor category and 183 at moderate category in the city on Monday morning

CAQM invokes restriction under GRAP-II as Delhi's air quality deteriorates

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday invoked restrictions, including a ban on diesel generator sets, under Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in view of an increase in air pollution levels in Delhi. The sub-committee responsible for invoking actions under GRAP took stock of the situation at a meeting as Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index rose to 270 on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology told it that the AQI is expected to reach the "very poor" category in the coming days. Considering this, the panel decided that all actions under Stage II of GRAP should be implemented with immediate effect, including a ban on the non-essential use of diesel generator sets and the use of coal and firewood in tandoors in hotels, restaurants and open eateries. GRAP is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. It ...

Air quality worsening in India's cleanest city Indore, say experts

Indore may have earned the prestigious tag of being the cleanest city India, but its air quality is worsening due to rapid development in the transport, construction and industrial sectors, said experts on Wednesday stressing the need for intensifying efforts to control the situation. As per the data shared by the Central Pollution Control Board, the air quality of Indore on Wednesday was moderate, which can cause breathing discomfort to people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases. Indore has been selected by Clean Air Catalyst, a global alliance working to improve air quality, apart from Jakarta (Indonesia) and Nairobi (Kenya) for one of its projects. As part of the project, three air pollution monitoring stations have been set up in Indore to record data on pollutants like fine particulate matter or PM2.5, carbon monoxide and black carbon, an official of the Clean Air Catalyst said. Indore is not among the most polluted cities in the world, but it is not even one of the cleanest

Strong surface winds forecast, min temperature at 8.6 deg Celsius in Delhi

The mercury settled at 8.6 degrees Celsius in Delhi on Tuesday morning, two notches below normal, even as strong surface winds have been forecast for later in the day. The relative humidity was recorded at 56 per cent. Delhi on Monday recorded a minimum temperature of 8.7 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. The national capital registered a high of 23.2 degrees Celsius, according to India Meteorological Department data. The maximum temperature on Tuesday is likely to settle at 25 degrees Celsius. The weatherman has predicted strong surface winds during the daytime. On Monday, Delhi logged a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 135, the lowest since October 13, owing to chilly winds that dispersed pollutants as they swept through the city. On Tuesday, the AQI stood at 145 at 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

Delhi govt succeeds in identifying air pollution sources in real-time: CM

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the Delhi government's attempt to identify sources of air pollution on a real-time basis has started showing results. Referring to a media report that said pollution levels in Delhi's Anand Vihar improved significantly after interventions by the environment department in November 2022, Kejriwal said the Delhi government has been using the "best technology" and "best brains" for it. Taking to Twitter, he said, "Our latest attempt to identify sources of pollution on a realtime basis has started showing results. Such an exercise is happening for the first time in India. We are using the best technology and the best brains." Earlier, the Economic Survey for 2022-23 that was tabled in Parliament on January 31 said the number of good, satisfactory and moderate days increased to 197 in 2021 as compared to 108 in 2016. It further said that the number of poor, very poor and severe days reduced to 168 in 2021 as compared to 246 in 2016. An AQI .

No 'good' days for Delhi air in Jan as winter makes pollution worse

Average monthly AQI at 'very poor' category, city eases graded action plan

Delhi records a minimum of 8.3 degrees Celsius; AQI remains 'moderate'

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 8.3 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department said. The relative humidity in the city at 8.30 am was recorded at 83 per cent. The weatherman has forecast mainly clear sky during the day with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 22 degrees Celsius. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 187 at 9 am, which is in the moderate category. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

Delhi records minimum temperature of 8.6 degrees Celsius, AQI of 156

Delhiites woke up to a windy Wednesday morning with the minimum temperature settling at 8.6 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 156, which is in the moderate category. The relative humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 100 per cent. The weatherman has forecast strong surface winds during day time with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 20 degrees Celsius.