Delhi's Air Quality: Improvement but Still Poor

 Delhi's Air Quality: On Friday at 7:00 am, Delhi's air quality was recorded at 283, placing it in the "poor" category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marked a notable improvement compared to the previous day when the AQI stood at 340, classified as "very poor."

Improvement After a Bad Week

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Delhi’s air quality had reached an alarming level of 364, categorized as "very poor." The recent dip to 283 relieves residents, as it signals a reduction in pollution levels. However, the situation remains concerning, with poor air quality still affecting the city.

Other Polluted Cities in India

Delhi is not the only city grappling with poor air quality. On October 25, Hanumangarh recorded the highest AQI in India at 288, making it the most polluted region, followed closely by Delhi. Several other cities also registered poor or very poor air quality:

• Bhiwani: 210
• Bulandshahr: 220
• Baghpat: 205
• Charkhi Dadri: 222
• Chandrapur: 223
• Ghaziabad: 220
• Hapur: 232
• Jaisalmer: 205
• Kaithal: 241
• Khurja: 272
• Meerut: 258
• Mandi Gobindgarh: 248
• Pali: 254
• Pithampur: 250

AQI Categories Explained

The CPCB categorizes AQI levels as follows:

• 0-50: Good
• 51-100: Satisfactory
• 101-200: Moderate
• 201-300: Poor
• 301-400: Very Poor
• 401-500: Severe

Delhi’s Most Polluted Areas

Several areas in Delhi continued to experience inferior air quality on Friday:

• Ashok Vihar: 305 AQI
• NSIT Dwarka: 314 AQI
• Rohini: 311 AQI
• Jahangirpuri: 320 AQI
• Burari Crossing: 314 AQI
• Sonia Vihar: 312 AQI

Forecast for the Coming Days

According to SAFAR’s Thursday bulletin, Delhi's air quality is expected to remain in the "poor" category on Friday but may worsen to the "very poor" category over the weekend. Over the next five days, it is likely to fluctuate between "very poor" and "severe" due to unfavourable weather conditions.

Expert Opinion

Abhishek Kar, Senior Programme Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), explained that the deterioration in air quality is caused by a combination of falling wind speeds, lower temperatures, and increased stubble burning in neighboring states.

Government Action

In response to the rising pollution levels, an 11-point action plan under Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was enforced on Monday. GRAP is a set of emergency measures designed to curb air pollution. Also read: Know Justice Sanjiv Khanna, will be the next CJI, Central government has approved it Actions include mechanical sweeping, water sprinkling, and strict enforcement of dust-control measures, among others. These steps aim to control pollution levels and reduce the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to poor air quality.