Delhi recorded ‘severe’ air quality on Friday despite clear skies in the morning. The air quality deteriorated from 333, which is ‘very poor’, on Thursday to an average AQI of 455 on Friday. The national capital witnessed a drop to the ‘severe’ category for the first time this season so far and the AQI is only set to worsen.
Poor dispersion of pollutants owing to weak winds contributed to the air quality settling in the ‘severe’ category, as per the India Meteorological Department. Following the drop in AQI, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and adjoining areas quickly intensified its efforts to ensure enforcement and compliance with its directions. It also issued orders to close 24 industrial units across NCR “grossly violating” anti-pollution norms.
According to the latest update at 3 pm recorded by the Anand Vihar monitoring station, the average AQI was 455 in the ‘severe’ category on a scale up to 500. At 7 am, the AQI in the area was 455 as well. Even at 9.20 am, the Anand Vihar monitoring station recorded an AQI of 443 in the ‘severe’ category.
The PM10 level touched 500, the highest on the scale, while PM2.5 was recorded at 455. The average PM10 level was 458, while the average PM2.5 was 400.
Among the monitoring stations that recorded ‘very poor’ air quality were Wazirpur (380), Patparganj (363), Vivek Vihar (397), Punjabi Bagh (370) and Jahangirpuri (397).
An 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”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
The minimum temperature in the national capital settled a notch below normal at 14.6 degrees Celsius with relative humidity at 90 per cent, the MeT said. The maximum temperature on Thursday had settled at 32.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal.
(With PTI inputs)
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