Delhi’s AQI improves to ‘poor’ category, may improve further in next two days

Delhi has been helped by a change in wind direction from northwesterly to easterly, which is helping reduce smoke intrusion from farm fire

Delhi’s air quality improved further on Sunday, touching the ‘poor’ category, Central Pollution Control Board data showed. Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 291 (poor) at 7am on Sunday morning -- a dip from Saturday’s 4pm reading of 319 (very poor). Delhi has been helped by a change in wind direction from northwesterly to easterly, which is helping reduce smoke intrusion from farm fire.

A view of the sunset over the Exhibition Hall at Pragati Maidan in Delhi on Saturday. (ANI)

The improvement in AQI by around 100 points on Saturday led to the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR revoking measures under Stage 4 or the ‘severe’ category of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI on Friday had been 405 (severe) at 4pm.

Under stage 4, the restrictions lifted include the ban on diesel light commercial vehicles (LCVs) registered outside of Delhi and below BS VI from entering into the capital; the ban on entry of trucks into Delhi, along with a ban on plying of diesel medium goods vehicles (MGVs) and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the capital. Linear public projects such as highways, roads and the laying down of pipelines, the construction work of which had been banned in stage 4, has also been lifted now.

The only major restrictions still prevailing in NCR include a ban on private construction activity, along with a ban on plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles. Both these restrictions are part of stage 3 of GRAP, which is still in effect.

The IMD has forecast the wind direction to remain predominantly easterly over the next three days, with surface winds to pick up to 15 km/hr by November 21.

“A western disturbance will begin to influence Jammu and Kashmir from today, with strong winds and the impact of this western disturbance expected in Delhi-NCR on November 21 and 22. Wind speed will be touching 15 km/hr during this time, which will further help Delhi,” said IMD scientist Kuldeep Srivastava.

Delhi had recorded a maximum temperature of 28.7 degrees on Saturday. The minimum was 12.8 degrees. Both these were a degree above normal. The IMD has forecast the maximum and minimum to hover around 28 and 12 degrees Celsius respectively today.