Gurugram records ‘very poor’ air quality for first time this season, rain likely

The city recorded the air quality index at 308 on Saturday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s bulletin. A significant increase in farm fires is to be blamed for the spike in the pollution levels, leading to the poor air quality across the national capital region on October 15, said officials

The air quality in Gurugram on Saturday dipped to the ‘very poor’ category for the first time this season, as the city recorded the air quality index (AQI) at 308, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin.

The India Meteorological Department on Saturday predicted one or two spells of rainfall in the city over the next two days, leading to a dip in the pollution levels. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

According to the CPCB’s bulletin, a significant increase in farm fires is to be blamed for the spike in the pollution levels, leading to the poor air quality across the national capital region (NCR) on October 15. Previously, the air quality in the city was recorded in the ‘poor category’ with the AQI at 201 on October 9 following a drop in the temperatures, officials had said.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted rainfall in the city on Sunday, leading to a dip in the pollution levels. The IMD on Saturday predicted that the city is likely to witness one or two spells of rain over the next two days.

The meteorological centre in Chandigarh on Saturday issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rain in South and southeast Haryana” in its weather bulletin. “Heavy rain is likely to occur in Gurugram on Sunday. Some parts of the city may also witness thunderstorms, lightning and squall. A yellow alert, asking authorities to be prepared, has also been issued for the next two days,” said an official of IMD Chandigarh.

Earlier this week, the IMD had said that fresh spell of light to moderate rainfall, accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning, under the influence of lower-level easterlies, is very likely at many places over the northwest India, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and at a few places in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi between Saturday and Monday (October 16 and 18).

According to the weather bulletin by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi on Saturday, the air quality is likely to improve and remain in the ‘moderate’ category from Sunday to Monday (October 17 to 18) following the predicted rainfall, but the air quality is likely to hit the ‘poor’ category over the next five days.