With the city’s air quality worsening every passing day, the average Air Quality Index(AQI) at one of the city’s pollution hotspots ,Anand Vihar, on Tuesday stepped into the ‘severe’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s(CPCB) data, Anand Vihar’s AQI value was 412 at 7 pm, falling under the ‘severe’ zone.
Anand Vihar’s AQI increased to ‘severe’ category after 2 pm as per the hourly data update by the CPCB. However, the city’s average AQI on Tuesday was ‘very poor’ with the air pollution number standing at 327. As per the pollution monitoring agency, exposure to ‘severe’ air quality affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Graded Response Action Plan’s stage- II, while the Delhi government in line with commission’s order has rolled out anti- pollution measures on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology’s air quality early warning system for Delhi has forecast the likelihood of the average air quality of the city to be in ‘Very Poor’ category till October 25.”The outlook for subsequent 6 Days: The air quality is likely to be in Very Poor to Poor category. Meteorological conditions are unfavourable for effective dispersion of pollutants as calm winds prevail during night,” IITM’s air quality and weather bulletin for Delhi said on Tuesday.