Delhi’s air quality in ‘moderate’ category

Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 170 at 10:30 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 159 on Monday.

The national capital’s air quality was recorded in the “moderate” category on Tuesday morning.

A mild haze seen along Rajpath, in New Delhi, India, on Thursday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

A government forecasting agency said it will remain in the same category for the next two days.

Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 170 at 10:30 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 159 on Monday. An AQI between 0 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’.

“Favorable ventilation condition is likely to keep Delhi’s AQI in the moderate category for the next two days,” the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

However, it said, the late withdrawal of monsoon and associated stagnant winds are likely to influence Delhi’s air quality negatively by the weekend.

The monsoon started receding from Rajasthan on Monday. It is expected to withdraw from the rest of northwest India in the next three days, according to an India Meteorological Department official.