High-velocity winds bring relief to Delhi
New Delhi: The smog lingering over Delhi-NCR for the last four days got abated by strong winds on Saturday resulting in a decline in pollution levels.
The air quality index of the national capital read 357 at 4 pm on Saturday, around 100 notches less than Friday's AQI.
The suburbs of Ghaziabad (347), Greater Noida (309), Gurgaon (360), Faridabad (358) and Noida (338) also recorded a dip in pollution levels.
"Strong surface winds, gusting up to 25 kilometers per hour, blew in the region, reducing the smog and bringing slight relief. Windy conditions are expected on Sunday as well and the air quality will improve further in the next two days," Kuldeep Srivastava, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department, said. Pollution is likely to increase November 20 onwards as another western disturbance will result in a dip in wind speed.
Schools in Delhi and neighbouring Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida also reopened on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to cooperate with the Delhi government to find a solution to the air pollution in the national capital region.
Meanwhile, the ban on the operation of coal-based units in the National Capital Region and industries in Delhi that do not use piped natural gas was lifted on Saturday. At a review meeting of the Central Pollution Control Board-led task force on Saturday, it was also decided that hot mix plants and stone crushers would remain closed in the NCR.
