Marginal drop in air quality, IMD forecasts higher pollution levels from Monday

CPCB data shows that Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was 274, while on Saturday, this was recorded at 251, both in the ‘poor’ range.

Delhi’s air remained in the poor zone on Sunday, deteriorating marginally from a day before, according to data from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as strong winds kept pollution levels from getting worse in the national capital.

Vehicles seen on a road while the area covered with smog as the air quality deteriorates due to air pollution, in New Delhi. (ANI)

CPCB data shows that Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI) on Sunday was 274, while on Saturday, this was recorded at 251, both in the ‘poor’ range.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientists said reasonably high wind speeds over the National Capital Region (NCR) have helped keep pollution levels in check.

Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre, said the average wind speed recorded over the Capital on Sunday was around 10kmph.

“On Saturday and Sunday, wind speeds were on the higher end, so the air quality has remained in the poor zone and not deteriorated much,” said Srivastava.

He, however, warned that from Monday with the impact of a western disturbance over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, wind over Delhi and its neighbouring satellite towns will slow down, causing pollution levels to rise.

“From tomorrow (Monday), the wind speed is likely to slow down to around 6kmph,” he added.

The Union government’s weather and air quality monitoring centre, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), also said winds are forecast to slow down from Monday.

“Slow winds and low ventilation is forecasted for November 23 and November 24. The AQI is likely to deteriorate to the middle end of very poor by tomorrow (Monday). It is likely to further deteriorate to the high end of very poor by November 24,” the Safar bulletin read.

The Safar analysis also said that while instances of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana had reduced, they had not stopped completely. On Sunday, 649 fires in Punjab and Haryana contributed to 12% of levels of PM2.5 (ultrafine particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometres) in Delhi’s air.

Meanwhile, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Sunday held a review meeting with the Public Works Department (PWD), where he was informed that the department had installed 23 anti-smog guns at key intersections and construction sites across the city. PWD officials in the meeting also assured that more will be installed, if necessary.

Rai said PWD officials have also been instructed to sprinkle water on trees, roads and on the construction sites to combat dust pollution.

“A total of 150 water tankers have been deployed for sprinkling water,” Rai said.

He also said PWD officials have been instructed to increase this number to cover more locations.

“I have also instructed PWD officials to increase the number of tankers further so that all of the city’s key roads can be covered. If necessary, we will install more anti-smog guns as well at key intersections in Delhi,” he added.