Delhi citizens received some relief as the air quality in the national capital notably improved on Wednesday, as the air quality index shifted into the ‘moderate category. According to data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the overall air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday morning registered at 190.
Air quality in various regions of Delhi showed varying levels: Delhi University area recorded 273, Pusa stood at 128, IIT Delhi reported 173, the Airport area had an AQI of 211, Mathura Road marked 152, and Lodhi Road recorded 149. Nearby cities had their AQI as well, with Noida at 218 and Gurugram at 169.
This positive change comes after three days of experiencing ‘very poor’ air quality in the Delhi-NCR region due to a combination of factors, including low temperatures, stagnant winds, and farm fires in neighboring states.
Nonetheless, the Decision Support System (DSS) – responsible for estimating the sources of PM2.5 in Delhi – anticipates that the Delhi AQI is likely to fluctuate between “poor” and “very poor” for the rest of the month, owing to the continued influence of meteorological conditions.
16 degrees Celsius
On Wednesday morning, the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that the maximum temperature for the day will reach 31 degrees Celsius.
Over the weekend, Delhi experienced the lowest temperature of the season at 15.6 degrees Celsius.
As the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was implemented in the national capital due to deteriorating air quality, Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, emphasized the importance of the next two weeks. This period is crucial due to the combination of upcoming festivals such as Dussehra and Diwali, along with ongoing farm fires. Rai stressed the need to control pollution sources to minimize the impact on people’s health, as weather conditions remain beyond our control.