NEW DELHI: The year 2022 ended on a positive note regarding pollution mitigation efforts. The latest report by the Commission for Air has noted significant improvement in the air quality of Delhi.
The national capital in 2022 witnessed the highest number of good and satisfactory air quality days in the last 5 years, barring 2020 with the lowest anthropogenic activities due to the pandemic-related restrictions, which continued in 2021 as well, the CAQM said on Monday.
According to the official data, 68 good and satisfactory air quality days were measured during the whole of 2022, which were 53 in 2018 and 61 in 2019. However, such days were recorded as 100 in 2020 and 73 in 2021. But both years were impacted by pandemic-related restrictions.
Meanwhile, 2022 saw the lowest recorded daily average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in five years.
PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in 2022, with all activities in full throttle in the Delhi-NCR region, were even lower than those recorded in 2021, it said in a statement.
The city logged average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations of 211 micrograms per cubic metre and 98 micrograms per cubic metre. The values were second lowest since 2018 (243 and 115, respectively) after 2020 which saw average PM 10 and PM2.5 concentrations of 181 micrograms per cubic metre and 95 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively. In 2021, the average value for PM10 was 213 while the PM2.5 remained 105, according to the report.
Delhi’s PM2.5 levels remained in the severe category for 204 hours in 2022 compared to 628 hours in 2021. The average air quality index (AQI) was recorded below the 200-mark for 1,096 hours in 2022 as against 827 hours in 2021, the Centre’s air quality panel said.
In 2022, Delhi also saw the lowest average AQI for January (279), February (225), and December (319) and the second lowest for July (87), October (210), and November (320).
68 ‘good’ days in 2022
According to the official data, 68 good and satisfactory air quality days were measured during the whole of 2022, which were 53 in 2018 and 61 in 2019. 2022 saw the lowest recorded daily average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in five years
