NEW DELHI: Delhi experienced a much-needed break from hazardous air as its AQI remained in the “poor” category on Monday, recording a 24-hour average AQI of 280 at 4 pm.
This marked a slight improvement from Sunday’s reading of 285 and was the second consecutive day of AQI below 300, a threshold the city had struggled to breach for over a month.
The air quality deteriorated to “very poor” on October 30 and frequently fluctuated between the “very poor” and “severe” categories throughout November. Sunday’s improvement was attributed to dry northwesterly winds and ample sunlight.
Data from the city’s 38 monitoring stations revealed varied air quality levels. While 12 stations reported “very poor” air, 25 recorded “poor” levels, and one station recorded “satisfactory” results, according to the Sameer app. PM2.5 remained the dominant pollutant, with levels at 106 µg/m³ at 3 pm. These fine particles, capable of entering the bloodstream through the lungs, pose serious health risks.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI as “good” (0-50), “satisfactory” (51-100), “moderate” (101-200), “poor” (201-300), “very poor” (301-400), and “severe” (above 400).
While vehicular emissions are typically a significant contributor, data from the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management had not been updated for the weekend or Monday, with Friday’s data showing a 21.4% contribution to the city’s pollution.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, surface winds from the northwest at speeds below 8 kmph were observed in the morning, with predictions of smog and shallow fog during the evening and night. Clear skies and “poor” air quality are expected to persist from Tuesday to Thursday.