Slow wind speed and sudden drop in temperatures caused spike in AQI, may witness improvement: Rai
GRAP- III restrictions will not come into force for now as the air quality may witness improvement: Rai
The national capital air quality index (AQI) dipped to ‘very poor’ category at 304 on Tuesday morning, with north-west district recording the most polluted air, according to the Central Pollution Board’s data. It was recorded as the season’s worst air day.
The National Capital Region (NCR) air pollution levels in every winter turns foul due to stubble burning along with the suspended water droplets in the lower atmosphere to form a thick blanket of smog. This has caused several health concerns for the residents of Delhi and NCR.
Out of the 36 pollution monitoring stations, theAQI in as many as 19 stations is in the ‘very poor’ category, 14 stations recorded the index in the ‘poor’ category, one recorded it in the ‘moderate’ category, and two were non-functional, according to Central pollution Board’s data.
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The north-west district of Delhi Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 379, followed by Dwarka Sector 8 and Mundka at AQI 364. The cleanest air was recoded in Lodhi road at AQI 193.
NCR regions such Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Faridabad have also recorded ‘very poor’ air quality. Greater Noida is the most polluted of all and Gurugram is the least polluted with AQI at 289, in ‘poor’ category.
The System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) categorizes air quality into categories. The 0-50 range as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe.
In India, at many as nine cities have been categorised under the ‘very poor’ category of air quality. Bhiwadi in Rajasthan tops the list followed by Greater Noida, Panipat, Bhagpat, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Delhi, Agra and Noida.
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