New Delhi (NVI): The air quality in the national capital showed further improvement from “very poor” to “poor” category today, due to favourable surface wind speed which helped reduce the air pollutants.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was 232 at around 11 am, which was lower than the AQI of 306 yesterday at around 9 am.
Other parts of the city reported AQIs in the ‘poor’ category including the area of Anand Vihar (241), RK Puram (246), Patparganj (211) and ITO (231), as per the CPCB data.
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.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitoring agency, SAFAR said that the overall Delhi air quality has improved to the ‘poor’ category as forecasted. As surface winds are west south-westerly and high and better ventilation is likely to influence AQI positively.
“AQI is likely to marginally improve to the ‘moderate’ category for tomorrow and ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ AQI is forecasted for March 23 and 24. On the other hand, isolated thunderstorms with gusty winds can lead to local dust lifting on March 23 and 24,” SAFAR said in its bulletin.
Meanwhile, IMD’s regional department forecast that the minimum temperature in Delhi settled at 16.8 degrees Celsius with a clear sky this morning.
The maximum temperature is likely to be around 34 degrees Celsius, without any possibility of rain, while strong surface winds with speed up to 20-30 km/h are expected on Sunday.
-RJV
