New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) Delhi’s air quality stayed in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday despite a marginal improvement in pollution levels, with the city recording a 24-hour average Air Quality Index of 330.
By Wednesday evening, air quality remained poor across most parts of the national capital, with 29 monitoring stations recording ‘very poor’ air quality and nine stations falling in the ‘poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer app.
Nehru Nagar recorded the worst air quality in the evening with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 383.
According to the CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 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’.
As per Delhi’s Decision Support System, Delhi transport emerged as the largest contributor to air pollution in the city at 13.5 per cent. Peripheral industries accounted for 10.8 per cent of emissions, while Delhi-based burning contributed 1.2 per cent. Construction activities within the city added 1.7 per cent, and residential sources contributed 3.3 per cent.
Among the NCR districts, Jhajjar was the highest contributor at 14.4 per cent, followed by Sonipat at 8.2 per cent, Rohtak at 3.3 per cent, Jind at 1.9 per cent, Panipat at 1.5 per cent and Gurgaon at 1 per cent.
According to the Air Quality Warning System, Delhi’s air quality is likely to be in the ‘poor’ category from tomorrow till January 24.
On Wednesday morning, the city recorded an AQI of 338 at 9 am, according to the CPCB data.
In view of the slight improvement, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday revoked curbs under Stage-4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR. In an order, the commission said actions under Stages 1, 2 and 3 of the revised GRAP will, however, remain in force.
“While GRAP Stage-4 is being revoked, keeping in view the winter season when weather conditions may not be always favourable and in order to ensure that the AQI levels do not slip further, citizens are requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-1, 2 and 3,” the order said.
Delhi experienced three consecutive days of ‘severe’ air pollution — on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, when the AQI exceeded the 400 mark — leading to the imposition of Stage-4 restrictions.
On the weather front, the maximum temperature recorded in the city on Wednesday was at 24.2 degrees Celsius, 3.9 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 7.7 degrees Celsius, 0.2 degrees above normal.
Station-wise data showed that Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 21.5 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road 24.0 degrees Celsius, the Ridge 24.3 degrees and Ayanagar 23.4 degrees.
Minimum temperatures were recorded at 9.3 degrees Celsius in Palam, 8.0 degrees Celsius at Lodi Road, 10.0 degrees Celsius at the Ridge and 8.4 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar. No rainfall was recorded at any station.
For Thursday, the weather office has forecast a minimum temperature of 8.0 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 25.0 degrees Celsius, with moderate fog likely in the morning.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert, forecasting thunderstorm activity accompanied by rain in the national capital on Jan 23. PTI SGV PRK PRK
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