Delhi’s air quality improves to ‘very poor’ day after touching ‘severe’ mark

Surface winds have started to pick up again and improved the AQI, which was likely to remain in the “very poor” category for the next three days

Delhi’s air quality improved slightly to return to the “very poor” category” a day after it touched the “severe” mark and prompted a ban on private construction, the closure of brick kilns and hot mix plants not operating on clean fuels, stone crushers, mining, and associated activities under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) Stage-III. An AQI of 366 was recorded at 7am compared to 407 at 4pm on Sunday.

An AQI of 366 was recorded at 7am compared to 407 at 4pm on Sunday. (HT PHOTO)

Surface winds have started to pick up again and improved the AQI, which was likely to remain in the “very poor” category for the next three days. A gradual drop in AQI was expected as weather conditions become more favourable.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 as “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor” and over 400 severe.

Severe air quality was recorded on Saturday for the fourth time this season since November 1 (424). It was earlier recorded last on November 4 (447).

There was also the option of enforcing a ban on BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles on Sunday under Stage III of Grap. It was enforced last when air quality went into the “severe” category.

Officials said no such decision was taken this time around. “Since it is an option for the states, we will decide on whether such vehicles need to be banned or not, based on the forecasts and the prevailing AQI. No meeting on this has been called yet,” said an official.

There was also shallow fog on Monday morning amid increased moisture. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The mercury was likely to plunge to around 8 degrees Celsius on Monday.