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New Delhi: After four days of marginal improvement in air quality, the national capital’s AQI once again dips to ‘Severe’ on Wednesday (November 22) morning, as per SAFAR at 7 am. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), with the air quality index (AQI) standing at more than 400. The AQI in areas like Ashok Vihar recorded 405, 447 in Bawana, 405 in Dwarka, and 429 in Jahangirpuri.
The national capital has been witnessing toxic air quality in the ‘Very Poor’ category for the last four days with an AQI of 372 at 4 pm yesterday. The visibility early in the morning remained low in the city. However, in other places, the air quality remained ‘very poor’ with AQI recorded at 378 in Anand Vihar, 374 in Burari Crossing, 392 in Lodhi Road.
An air quality index(AQI) between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, 401 and 450 ‘severe’ and above 450 ‘severe plus’.
The city’s 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm, stood at 372 on Tuesday, deteriorating from 348 on Monday and 301 on Sunday. It was 319 on Saturday, 405 on Friday and 419 on Thursday.
Noting a decline in air pollution levels due to favorable wind speed and direction, the Center on Saturday lifted stringent restrictions including a ban on construction work related to linear projects and entry of polluting trucks in Delhi.
Another government order said all schools, including private and govt-run, in Delhi will reopen from Monday (November 20) as the AQI has improved and there is no indication of any sharp degradation in the near future.
These measures constitute the final stage — Stage IV — of the Centre’s air pollution control plan called the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The air quality forecasts by the India Meteorological Department/Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology do not indicate any steep declination in the overall air quality of Delhi-NCR in the coming days, the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) said.
