E-Paper
Delhi air ‘very poor’ for fourth consecutive day, check area-wise AQI today
The air quality in Delhi remained ‘very poor’ for the fourth consecutive day, and a thick smog engulfed the city early in the morning.
The Air Quality Index of Delhi remained in the ‘Very Poor’ category for the fourth day straight, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The national capital recorded an AQI of 323 at 10 am on October 23, days after the city celebrated a cracker-filled Diwali.
Earlier on Wednesday, the city's overall 24-hour average air quality stood at 353 at 4 pm on Wednesday, according to data by CPCB. This marked the highest AQI recorded so far this season, up from 351 on Tuesday and 345 on Monday.
| Area | AQI | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Anand Vihar | 429 | Severe |
| Jahangirpuri | 367 | Very Poor |
| Wazirpur | 365 | Very Poor |
| ITO | 353 | Very Poor |
| Ashoke Vihar | 350 | Very Poor |
| Burari | 348 | Very Poor |
| Punjabi Bagh | 344 | Very Poor |
| Sonia Vihar | 329 | Severe |
| Shadipur | 319 | Very Poor |
| Alipur | 300 | Poor |
The AQI in Gurugram's Sector 51 was recorded as 288, while in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, it was 271. In Noida's Sector 125, the air quality was recorded at 308 in the Very Poor category.
Dispersion of pollutants unlikely
A cloud of smog shrouded the city during the day, with winds failing to exceed 7 kmph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that suitable dispersion of pollutants is unlikely in the coming days, news agency PTI reported.
Also read: Delhi’s AQI skyrockets past 500 on Diwali while Toronto breathes easy at 2
Senior scientist at IMD, Krishna Mishra, said that the wind direction has shifted from easterly to westerly, but speeds remain low. "Nighttime winds are almost calm, and during the day they reach only 5-7 kmph,” he said. He added that a weak western disturbance is expected around October 27, but it is unlikely to bring significant rain or an increase in wind speeds.
Also read: GRAP stage-3 curbs to wait as Delhi’s AQI nears 400 mark
Wind speeds briefly increased on Tuesday, helping clear the emissions from Diwali firecrackers. However, the wind started dropping again from Tuesday night along with falling temperatures.
Forecasts from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) indicate that Delhi’s AQI will likely remain in the ‘very poor’ category till Saturday, after which it may fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ for the next six days.
