Due to the dual effects of firecrackers during Diwali and the burning of straw in Haryana and Punjab, the air quality in New Delhi improved slightly on Monday morning. After three consecutive days of “serious” air quality in the capital, the air quality in New Delhi slightly improved improve. According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), New Delhi has an hourly air quality index (AQI) of 384 at 7 am.

On Sundays, the average 24-hour AQI is 428, which is in the “serious” category. On Friday, the day after Diwali, a flagrant violation of the prohibition on setting off firecrackers resulted in an AQI of as high as 462. This was the worst air quality since 2016 in New Delhi after Diwali. CPCB categorizes AQI 0 to 50 as “good”, 51-100 as “satisfactory”, 101-200 as “medium”, 201-300 as “poor”, 301-400 as “very bad”, and 401 and above as “severe”.

Although the AQI improved slightly on Saturday and climbed to 437, the percentage of farm fires in New Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution reached its highest level so far this season on Sunday, at 48%. According to data shared by Delhi, the US government said on Sunday that NASA satellites recorded 21,623 stalk burning incidents in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh between November 1 and November 6. The CPCB will hold a meeting on Monday to review the air quality situation and discuss whether it is necessary to consider implementing Gradation Response Action Plan (Grap) measures under the “serious” category.

Currently, the city is implementing measures under the “very poor” AQI category, such as banning the use of diesel generators and increasing parking fees by three to four times. Earlier on Sunday, the Air Quality Monitoring Center, Air Quality and Weather Forecast and Research System (SAFAR) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences stated that the AQI is expected to improve by Sunday night.

In terms of weather, according to the forecast of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), a partially cloudy sky may appear in New Delhi on Monday. The lowest temperature on Monday may be 14 degrees Celsius, and later it is predicted that the highest temperature will rise to 29 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, the highest temperature was 29.1 degrees Celsius and the lowest temperature was 14.2 degrees Celsius, no deviation from normal years.

News Source : Hindustan Times