Delhi's air quality slips back to poor category: Authorities

Just as we have started to feel a nip in the air, Delhi’s air quality has slipped back to poor category due to change in direction of the wind, authorities said on Monday.

The reason for this could be attributed to the wind that is flowing in from the stubble burning areas in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. The air quality on Sunday had improved to moderate level with an index of 181 but on Monday, the air quality slipped to the poor category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 235, according to data at the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

Read More | Maneka Gandhi hopes #MeToo movement is not misused; also asks Law Ministry to not keep any age limit to report child sexual abuse

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe.

On Sunday, the PM10 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 10mm) was at 230 in Delhi and the PM2.5 level (presence of particles with a diameter less than 2.5 mm) in the city was 101, according to a data by SAFAR.

Also Read | Gujarat: 50,000 migrant workers from UP, Bihar leave after protests over rape; 35 FIRs lodged

SAFAR has also forecast further deterioration of air quality in the next two days with the PM10 expected to touch 264 and PM2.5 to reach 111 in the next three days.