Delhi air pollution: Air quality improves marginally yet severe

Visibility on Friday morning showed improvement, but Delhi’s air quality remained ‘severe’ for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, said Indian Meteorological Department officials.

The air quality index (AQI) recorded on Friday at 7.30 am was 483, a small drop from Thursday’s average of 486. As the day rose, the IMD recording 484 in Delhi, 498 in Ghaziabad, Noida 485 and Gurgaon 485.

The AQI ranges from 0-500. IMD marks 500 as the worst possible air quality. According to IMD officials Delhi and surrounding cities remain to be severe.

According to IMD, Friday’s reading shows sign of improvement of air quality and the AQI will return to ‘very poor’ from ‘severe’ levels by the week end. PM10 level which had shot up to 800ug/m3 on November 7 had dropped to 750 ug/m3 on Thursday evening.

In India Gate particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5) was recorded 1500 µg/m3.  While, the standard average of for PM 2.5 pollution should be 60 µg/m3 (24-hour average).