Meteorological conditions in Delhi extremely unfavourable for pollutant dispersion since this September: CPCB

CPCB member secretary Prashant Gargava said the PM10 concentration between September 1 and October 14 this year has been more as compared to the corresponding period last year.

The Central Pollution Control Board Meteorological (CPCB) on Friday said conditions in Delhi have been extremely unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants since this September as compared to last year.

The average ventilation index has been 1,334 metre square per second in September and October this year as compared to 1,850 metre square per second during the corresponding period last year (HT Photo)

CPCB member secretary Prashant Gargava said the PM10 concentration between September 1 and October 14 this year has been more as compared to the corresponding period last year.

“An analysis showed there were seven rainy days with cumulative rainfall of 121 mm, between September 1 and October 14 in 2019. This year, there have been only three rainy days with 21 mm rainfall during the same period. Meteorological conditions have been extremely unfavourable in September and October this year as compared to the corresponding period last year,” Gargava said.

The average ventilation index has been 1,334 metre square per second in September and October this year as compared to 1,850 metre square per second during the corresponding period last year, he said.

He added that in winters, the ventilation index, a combination of horizontal wind dispersion and heat dissipation of pollutants, is very less in landlocked areas like Delhi, which leads to a higher rate of pollution.