Delhi air quality dips to 'very poor' category, may improve with sufficiently high wind speed

The air quality in the national capital dipped to “very poor” levels on Sunday evening with the overall air quality index (AQI) at 304, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. However, authorities predicted lowering in pollution level with increased wind speed and the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) has said that the overall air quality of Delhi may improve because of the increased wind speed.

“Air quality may improve as wind speed is sufficiently high. Wind speed continued to remain a key factor to improve the air quality after rain washed away pollutants on Thursday. However, other factors are still unfavourable as relative humidity is high,” the Centre-run SAFAR said.

Delhi: Major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 are at 224 and 230 respectively in Lodhi Road area, both in 'Poor' category, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data. pic.twitter.com/paD4qhOvgl

— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018

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An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under ‘moderate’ category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ while between 401 and 500 ‘severe’. The overall PM2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) level was recorded at 143 and the PM10 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometre) level at 253, SAFAR said.

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The past Thursday, the national capital recorded its best air quality in the moderate category in over two months after rains washed away pollutants before slipping into the ‘poor’ category on Friday. On Sunday, 18 places recorded ‘very poor’ air quality and 12 places recorded ‘poor’ air quality, the CPCB said. Neighbouring Ghaziabad and Greater Noida recorded ‘very poor’ air quality while in Noida and Faridabad it was in the ‘poor category’ and in Gurugram, it was ‘moderate’, the CPCB said.