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
With no respite for Delhiites from breathing bad air, air quality in the national capital continued to reel under the ‘very poor’ category for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday.
The Average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city was measured at 364, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Some places in the city continued to battle ‘severe’ levels of air quality with AQI levels clocking over 400.
The highest AQI was recorded at the Mundka area with a value of 417, followed by 416 at Anand Vihar, while the AQI at Wazirpur was 408.
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On Tuesday, five places in the city recorded ‘severe’ air, and the highest AQI was recorded at 430 in Mundka.
The coming 15-20 days are expected to be critical in terms of air quality in the city, said Environment Minister Gopal Rai, quoting scientists that the decrease in temperature and low wind speed has made the pollutants stay at lower levels.
The dispersion of the particulate matter also gets delayed due to low temperatures and less wind speed. A meeting was also held to review Delhi’s air situation and measures in place for pollution control.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 16.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, which was the season’s normal. However, relative humidity stood between 57 to 85 per cent in the city.
For Thursday, the weatherman has forecast shallow fog, with minimum temperature to hover around 15 degrees Celsius.
Air quality under the ‘severe’ category affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, while ‘very poor’ quality air can cause respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.
The AQI level between zero and 50 falls under the ‘good’ category, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 falls under the ‘severe’ category, according to the CPCB.
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