Air quality in Delhi has started deteriorating, as seven localities out of 36in the national capital fell to the ‘poor’ category, Central Pollution Control Board data show.
Although air pollution is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ category because of reasonably strong winds, a rise in is expected in the coming weeks, a scientist at the India Meteorological Department said.
The air quality index (AQI) for the city as a whole was 166 on Monday, but it was worse in Shadipur (211), Lodhi Road (231), Jahangirpuri (218), Wazirpur (223), Mundka (256), Anand Vihar (281) and Chandni Chowk (236). A value between 201 and 300 is considered poor, affecting the elderly, children and people with heart and lung problems. A value between 101 and 200 is termed moderate.
The last time the city’s AQI rose above 200 was on July 2.
The impact of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana is still negligible because the winds changed from easterly to northeasterly from October 6, when the southwest monsoon withdrew from the region, explained the Met scientist.
“This is likely to remain the case through this week, and because of this the AQI is also expected to remain in the moderate zone,” the weather scientist said, requesting anonymity.
The burning of farm residue, which sends up clouds of smoke into the atmosphere that then descends over the capital, is one of the reasons for the annual bad air crisis that marks autumn in Delhi. The transition to winter also weakens winds, which means local pollutants are not blown away as they usually do during other times of the year.
{{/usCountry}}The burning of farm residue, which sends up clouds of smoke into the atmosphere that then descends over the capital, is one of the reasons for the annual bad air crisis that marks autumn in Delhi. The transition to winter also weakens winds, which means local pollutants are not blown away as they usually do during other times of the year.
{{/usCountry}}The predominant pollutant in Delhi’s air on Monday was PM 10, which is particulate matter less than 10 micrometres thick, or dust, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the air quality monitoring system run by the Union ministry of earth science.
“Delhi’s AQI is in the moderate category with PM10 as the main pollutant. Due to very dry conditions, local dust gets re-suspended, leading to high PM10,” Safar’s air quality assessment said. “This condition is leading to moderate AQI in Delhi, and will keep so for next three days.”