After nine days of ‘very poor’ air, Delhi on Tuesday recorded a marginal improvement, with the average AQI recorded below 300, in the ‘poor’ category.
However, the relief may be short-lived, with pollution levels likely to rise in the coming days and the Air Quality Index (AQI) expected to plummet to the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ range, according to the six-day forecast issued by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.
Meanwhile, the maximum temperature on Tuesday settled at 25.5 degrees Celsius, about 0.7 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature was 9.2 degrees Celsius, around 0.4 degrees below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Relative humidity stood at 79 per cent in the morning and 52 per cent in the evening.
The 24-hour average AQI stood at 282 at 4 pm on Tuesday, compared to 314 at the corresponding hour on Monday and 308 on Sunday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The last time pollution levels dipped below the ‘very poor’ mark was on November 30, when the city recorded an AQI of 279, after enduring 24 consecutive days of ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ air, data shows.
Meanwhile, the CPCB’s Sameer app had not updated station-wise pollution levels until 6 pm, but morning readings at 18 monitoring stations recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while 20 lay in the ‘poor’ range.
According to the Decision Support System for Delhi’s air quality management, vehicular emissions within the city contributed 17.1 per cent to local pollution on Tuesday, followed by industries in Delhi and surrounding regions at 8.3 per cent, and domestic emissions at 4.1 per cent.
For Wednesday too, the system forecast vehicular emissions to be the prime source of pollutants -- contributing around 17.1 per cent.
Speaking about the capital’s pollution, Mohammad Rafiuddin, Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said, “Delhi’s AQI improved slightly from over 300 in the last few days to around 282, due to strong winds on Tuesday.”
He said, according to the IMD’s weather forecast, the wind speed is expected to stay above 10 kmph tomorrow, which is favourable for dispersing pollutants.
However, the minimum temperature is likely to drop by 2-3 degrees over the next three days, with nighttime temperatures falling to around 6 degrees Celsius. This could trigger widespread biomass burning for heating, which may worsen air pollution, he said. He urged the authorities to remain vigilant to curb open biomass burning.
“Citizens should adhere to the GRAP guidelines, avoid burning biomass, and wear masks to protect themselves from air pollution,” Rafiuddin added.
For Wednesday, the IMD has predicted partly foggy conditions, with the minimum temperature likely to be around 8 degrees Celsius and the maximum around 24 degrees Celsius.
