New Delhi (NVI): A day after receiving light spells of rain and favourable wind speed, the air quality in Delhi improved and remained in “very poor” category this morning.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital improved to 300 at around 9 am, which falls in the ‘poor category’, from 467 around the same time yesterday.
The AQI in neighbouring cities of Faridabad (256), Ghaziabad (292), Greater Noida (302), Gurgaon (314) and Noida (312), was also recorded in ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories.
Officials at the air monitoring stations said that, Delhi had recorded the worst pollution levels on Diwali in the past four years due to the combined effect of stubble burning, firecrackers and unfavourable meteorological conditions.
The air quality on the day after Diwali this year was also the poorest since 2016. The city recorded an overall AQI of 414 on Saturday. The 24-hour average AQI stood at 435, on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the temperature will start falling in Delhi due to the impact of western disturbances and it may fall by 3-4 degrees Celsius from Monday.
“The wind speed will be favourable for dispersion of pollutants today as well,” it said.
Apart from this, Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor, SAFAR, had also predicted that pollution levels may recede to the ‘poor category’ in case of enough rains and washout.
However, the air quality is likely to stay in the ‘very poor’ category on Tuesday and Wednesday, it added.
-RJV
