Delhiites have now spent more than half of November choking on toxic air as a smog haze blanketed the city’s skies, causing burning eyes and difficulty breathing.
On Friday, the city recorded a total AQI of 369, extending the streak of “very poor” air quality to nearly 20 days. The 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) settled at 369 on Friday compared to 377 on Thursday, 327 on Wednesday, 352 on Tuesday and 382 on Monday.
The highest AQI in the city, 414, was recorded in Dwarka Sector 8, according to the Sameer Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) application.
At 6:00 am on Saturday, the CPCB recorded a slight improvement in AQI to 341.
An AQI between 301–400 is considered “very poor” and 401–500 “severe”.
In removing restrictions from Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) official said air quality was expected to “not touch the severe category”.
“…by Thursday evening and from Friday onwards, winds are expected to pick up again, so the AQI is unlikely to touch 400 and fall into the severe category,” the official said, adding that the situation was being closely monitored.
No respite next week
Air quality for Delhi is likely to remain “very poor” for the coming week, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System forecast.
Adverse meteorological conditions combined with vehicular emissions, rice straw burning, firecrackers and other local sources of pollution lead to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during winter.
The decision support system of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune estimated that vehicular emissions contributed 18 percent to Delhi’s pollution on Friday. Stubble burning accounted for 1.2 percent.
These contributions are expected to reach 18.4 percent for vehicle emissions and 1.7 percent for stubble burning in the state capital on Saturday.
Weather in Delhi
For Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted fog, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to settle around 26 and 11 degrees Celsius respectively.
