Air quality in Delhi poor, no major relief predicted

According to the SAFAR, the air quality in Lodhi Road was recorded at 149 which falls in the ‘moderate’ category

Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the poor category for the third consecutive day on October 25 and a major improvement is unlikely over the next few days, according to monitoring agencies.

The city’s average air quality index (AQI) stood at 238 at 10 am, worsening from 220 at 4pm on Tuesday.

The average AQI was 196 in neighbouring Ghaziabad, 258 in Faridabad, 176 in Gurugram, 200 in Noida and 248 in Greater Noida.  According to the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the city’s air quality is likely to oscillate between the poor and very poor categories over the next four to five days. 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’s air quality had turned very poor on Sunday for the first time since May, mainly due to a drop in temperature and wind speed, which allowed pollutants to accumulate.

Several incidents of firecracker burning were also reported from parts of Delhi on the occasion of Dussehra on Tuesday. In accordance with the practice of the last three years, Delhi had last month announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of firecrackers within the capital city. A public awareness campaign, ‘Patakhe Nahi Diye Jalao’, will be soon reintroduced to discourage the burning of firecrackers.

Unfavourable meteorological conditions and a cocktail of emissions from firecrackers and paddy straw burning, in addition to local sources of pollution, push Delhi-NCR’s air quality to hazardous levels around Diwali every year.

The city government had Monday directed all district magistrates to conduct inspections in their areas to ensure strict implementation of all pollution mitigation measures.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the government has identified eight more pollution hotspots in addition to the existing 13 in the national capital, and special teams will be deployed there to check pollution sources.