Noida’s air quality dips to ‘severe’ day after Diwali

Noida: With Noida seeing one of the most polluted Diwali and post-Diwali air in the past three years, primarily due to the weather conditions and local emissions,

Noida: With Noida seeing one of the most polluted Diwali and post-Diwali air in the past three years, primarily due to the weather conditions and local emissions, the light rain on Sunday and strong wind may improve the air quality on Monday.

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The air quality of Noida and Greater Noida dipped to “severe” on Diwali, November 14, and further dipped the next day due to the considerable rise in the pollutants.

However, the arrival of the western disturbance -- a weather phenomenon originating over the Mediterranean-- led to light rain between 4 to 5 pm on Sunday. The additional effect of south-westerly winds led to the ventilation and thereby improving air.

“Noida and adjoining areas had around 1mm rainfall. The wind speed also increased to about 22 kmph by around Sunday evening. There is very low chance of rain on Monday, but the south-westerly winds will continue although it will be comparatively slower,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre, India Meteorological Centre (IMD).

He added that weather conditions for better ventilation and thereby dispersion of the pollutants are likely to continue for next two days on Monday and Tuesday.

According to the central pollution control board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of Noida on Sunday was 441 against 425 a day earlier (on Diwali) and 337 on the eve of Diwali. The AQI of Greater Noida was 417 against 394 on Diwali and 336 on Diwali’s eve.

Last year, the AQI of Noida, a day after Diwali (October 28) was 397, while in Greater Noida it was 375. In 2018, the AQI of Noida, a day after Diwali November 8) was 432, while that for Greater Noida it was 410.

The AQI above 400 is considered severe, while that between 301 and 400 is considered ‘very-poor’.

The region also saw high pollution levels with PM2.5 for past 24-hours in Noida increased to 391.71 microgrammes per cubic metres (µg/m³) against 319.94µg/m³ a day earlier. The PM2.5 for Greater Noida for also increased to 316.47 µg/m³ on Sunday against 269.89µg/m³ a day earlier.

However, the AQI of Noida areas showed improvement as the wind speed increased following light showers. The AQI at sector-125, at 4 pm on Sunday was recorded at 443 which dipped to 431 by 8pm. The AQI at sector-62 was 454 at 4 pm that dropped to 435 by 8 pm. The AQI for sector-1 was 447 at 4pm dropping to 425 by 8pm and AQI sector-116 was 438 which dropped to 419 by 8pm, according to the data obtained by CPCB.

According to the System of air quality and weather forecasting and research (SAFAR), the AQI may improve further if the weather conditions remained positive.

“The AQI is likely to start improving from the afternoon and make AQI in the lower end of very-poor on 16th November. It may touch the poor category in case of enough rains and washout. AQI is forecasted to stay in the middle-end of the Very Poor category on 17th and 18th November,” said a statement by Safar on Sunday.