New Delhi (NVI): Thanks to high surface winds, the air quality in Delhi-NCR further improved today to “poor” category from Sunday’s classification of “very poor” even as the Centre was holding a high level meeting with Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the situation.
According to government air quality information service, SAFAR, the high surface winds are forecast to continue for the next 24 hours, which is expected to bring further relief from the air pollution.
“The AQI is forecasted to further improve by today afternoon and likely to stay at Moderate to lower end of Poor category for tomorrow,” an air quality bulletin by SAFAR stated.
However, according to SAFAR, the air quality is likely to deteriorate a notch to the lower end of the Very Poor category by evening tomorrow whereas on November 20, it may deteriorate to higher end of the Very Poor category.
The overall Air Quality Index in Delhi at 6:30 am today was recorded at 211. The air quality in some areas including Mathura Road, Lodhi Road, IIT Delhi was “Moderate” with an AQI of 156, 150 and 159 respectively.
On Sunday, the AQI notably improved in Delhi’s neighbouring cities too. Noida recorded an AQI of 153 at 6:30 am on Sunday, while Ghaziabad, considered the most polluted city of the country, In Delhi’s neighbouring cities, also stood at the Poor category.
Meanwhile, to take stock of the situation, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, C.K. Mishra is holding a high-level meeting with Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh along with senior officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Agriculture.
Amongst other agenda items related to tackling the air pollution, the meeting will also review the measures that are currently already underway to check the menace, an official statement said.
Officials of Ministry of Home Affairs are also be present to put forth measures required for more effective traffic management, which is another factor aggravating the problem of air pollution. The meeting is also being attended by municipal commissioners of NDMC, SDMC, EDMC etc, besides District Collectors of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, NOIDA, Greater Noida.
