Delhi to have cleaner air this week

Delhiites are in for relatively cleaner air this week, scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Strong winds improved air quality on Saturday

Delhiites are in for relatively cleaner air this week, scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Strong winds improved air quality on Saturday and pollution levels are likely to continue improving till November 26.

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On Saturday, the overall Air Quality Index reading of Delhi was recorded at 312, which, though was in the ‘very poor’ range, was slightly better than Friday’s 360.

IMD scientists said that the AQI is expected to settle in the ‘poor’ zone on Sunday.

“Wind speed has been improving and the effect can be seen in the air quality. On Sunday too, the winds will be around 20kmph, strong enough to disperse pollutants,” Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the IMD’s regional weather forecasting centre, said.

At 4.30pm, at several stations, including Shadipur, Dilshad Garden, Aya Nagar, North Campus, Pusa and Burari Crossing, the air quality had improved to reach the ‘poor’ zone.

The PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometres) levels also showed a downward curve throughout Saturday. From 185.9ug/m3 at 11pm on Friday, the particulate levels in the city went down to 141.5ug/m3 at 5pm on Saturday.

System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the ministry of Earth science’s weather and air quality monitoring centre, also forecasted that the pollution levels will remain under control at least till late Sunday. Satellite data showed that on Saturday the share of crop stubble burning cases in Delhi’s air was nearly 7%. It is likely to reduce to 6%.

“Harvest season is almost over, so the impact of crop stubble burning in Delhi’s air will also go down slowly. Till Monday, the air is likely to remain in the poor zone,” a SAFAR scientist said.