Delhi’s average air quality continued to reel under the ‘very poor’ category on the third consecutive day with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) measuring at 321 on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Primary pollutants in the city’s air on Thursday were the PM 2.5 micro particles, the CPCB said.
Nehru Nagar recorded the worst air across the city with an AQI level of- 376, followed by Bawana- 368, Vivek Vihar- 366, Jahangirpuri- 365, Mundka- 356 and NSIT Dwarka- 355.
No place in Delhi on Saturday recorded AQI levels in the severe zone, as per the CPCB daily bulletin .
However, according to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology(IITM), there is a likelihood of a slight improvement in the air pollution situation as wind speed on Sunday is likely to increase.
“The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from Northwest directions in Delhi with wind speed 08-16 kmph, mainly clear sky and mist in the morning on 10.12.2023,” the air quality monitoring agency said on Saturday.
The IITM further suggests that Ventilation Index (VI) could also improve on Sunday, and the value likely to be 7,500 m2/s
“The index levels above 6000 m2/s with average wind speed of more than 10 kmph is favourable for dispersion of pollutants,” IITM said.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast mist in the morning for Sunday with minimum temperature to hover around 9 degrees Celsius and relative humidity is likely to remain on the higher side as it pegged between 100 to 69 per cent on Saturday.
Anti-pollution measures like spraying of water along roads, mechanised dust sweeping, deployment of special teams at the 13 hotspots, deployment of anti- smog guns and other actions are underway in the city in accordance with the Commission for Air Quality Management’s(CAQM) Graded Response Action Plan(GRAP) stages- I & II that are invoked across the Delhi- NCR region.
Meanwhile, NCR cities sharing their borders with Delhi including Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Noida and Sonipat continued to register air quality levels in the ‘poor’ zone, where AQI levels are under 301, the CPCB said.