New Delhi (NVI): After days of ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ air pollution, the air quality index (AQI) of Delh improved to ‘moderate’ category this morning, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.
This improvement was mainly because of a change in the wind direction and speed.
According to (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index was recorded 131 at around 10 am, which falls in ‘moderate’ category.
The AQI in neighbouring cities of Faridabad (146), Ghaziabad (157), Gurgaon (105) and Noida (121), was also recorded in ‘moderate’ category.
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”.
Officials at government agencies said that the wind speed remained favourable throughout the night, leading to a better-than-predicted situation today morning.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), usually, winds remain calm at night and yesterday night, favourable wind speed (8-12 kmph) led to better dispersion conditions. “The maximum wind speed is predicted to be 14 kmph on Friday,” it added.
Meanwhile, the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution has also significantly reduced as the harvesting season has ended.
In addition, the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor, SAFAR, said that, the contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring states to the national capital’s PM2.5 levels was just 1 percent on Thursday and 2 percent on Wednesday.
Apart from this, the minimum temperature in Delhi was 10.2 degrees Celsius today. The maximum temperature is likely to settle around 25.8 degrees Celsius, the IMD forecasts.
-RJV
