Air quality in Noida, Ghaziabad worsens

The air quality is, however, likely to improve over the next two days due to the change in the wind direction from northwesterly -- which carries smoke from stubble burning -- to the cleaner southerly, according to the air pollution monitoring agencies

The air quality in Noida worsened on Sunday, but remained in the ‘poor’ category. The air quality is, however, likely to improve over the next two days due to the change in the wind direction from northwesterly -- which carries smoke from stubble burning -- to the cleaner southerly, according to the air pollution monitoring agencies.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), the fire count has reduced slightly over the past 24 hours, and it may improve in the next few days. (Sunil Ghosh/HT)

“The festival rush or increase in traffic movement, and dropping temperatures or wind speed, are the reasons behind the spike in the pollution levels over the past 24 hours,” said Shambhavi Shukla, deputy programme manager (air pollution), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) reading, on a scale of zero to 500, for Noida on Sunday was at 292 against 260 a day earlier. The AQI in Ghaziabad was at 342 against 273 on Saturday, and 292 in Greater Noida against 273 a day earlier.

An AQI reading between 101 and 200 is considered ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and above 400 ‘severe’.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), the fire count has reduced slightly over the past 24 hours, and the air quality is likely to improve in the coming days.

“The air quality is likely to improve to the upper end of the ‘poor’ category in the next two days due to an expected change in the wind direction to westerly or southwesterly, reducing the transport of emissions from stubble burning. Isolated rainfall is likely in the upwind region which would improve the air quality. Share of crop residue burning emissions in PM2.5 is about 8% at present. Prevailing shallow mixing layer height reduces dispersion of pollutants,” according to a statement by the SAFAR on Sunday.

According to the Safar, the effective fire count (stubble burning) on Sunday was recorded at 1,734 against 1,826 a day earlier.

Meanwhile, the daytime temperatures recorded a slight drop in Noida. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the maximum and minimum temperatures in Noida on Sunday were recorded at 29.2 degrees Celsius and 17.1 degrees Celsius, respectively, against 29.2 degrees Celsius and 14.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, a day earlier.

“Maximum and minimum temperatures will hover around 30 degrees Celsius and 17 degrees Celsius on Monday,” said an IMD official.