Delhi Pollution: Air quality ‘very poor’, AQI recorded at 599

Delhiites, on Tuesday woke up to a foggy morning. The air quality was recorded in the 'poor' category. The major pollutants PM 2.5 were recorded at 430 and PM 10 at 599 (poor category) in the RK Puram area. In the Anand Vihar area, the Air Quality Index (AQI) PM 2.5 was at 277 and PM 10 at 197, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). At the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium area, PM 2.5 was at 307 and PM 10 at 191. AQI at Punjabi Bagh Delhi was recorded poor, PM 2.5 was at 249 while the PM 10 was at 167.

On Monday, the SAFAR 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.

ALSO READ | Delhi air quality dips to 'very poor' category

The Central Pollution Control Board slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore each on three oil companies for their failure to install anti-pollution "vapour recovery" systems at fuel stations. The fine was slapped on public sector oil firms Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

Vapour recovery device is an instrument to capture displaced vapours that emerge from inside a vehicle's fuel tank while filling petrol or diesel in it.

Delhi is reeling under the menace of air pollution for the past couple of years. The region faced a major air quality crisis last year when severe pollution level forced the shutdown of schools and colleges. In 2016, the government tried to explore the possibility of cloud seeding for artificial rain but the plan never worked out. 

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.