Delhi's air quality 'very poor', 4 areas see 'severe' pollution

NEW DELHI: Delhi's overall air quality was in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday with four areas in the city recording 'severe' pollution due to low wind speed, authorities said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 373, which falls in the 'very poor' category. Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, Mundka and Wazirpur, all recorded 'severe' air quality, while 30 areas recorded 'very poor' air quality, it said.

At 392, the overall air quality of Greater Noida was the worst in the National Capital Region (NCR), just points below the 'severe' category. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality.

On Wednesday, the PM2.5 particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5-micrometre level was recorded at 240 while the PM10 level was recorded at 389, CPCB data said. According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), air quality in the national capital is expected to remain in the 'very poor' category for the next two to three days.

"At present, winds are unfavourable for a dispersion which allows pollutants to accumulate. Humidity is still high which is unfavourable," the SAFAR said in its report. Fire counts from stubble burning declined and will have a marginal impact, it added. Authorities are mulling to use artificial rain to clear the toxic air but cloud seeding would require certain meteorological conditions which are currently not favourable.

Meanwhile, Met department noted the presence of smoke in the air calling it "not supportive" for walking or jogging. The minimum temperature fell over past 24 hours, with Wednesday recording 12.4 degree Celsius, the season's average, against 13.5 degrees on Tuesday.

The maximum temperature was likely to hover around 28 degrees Celsius. "There will be a mixture of smoke and haze. In the morning, the sky will remain clear but later it may get partly cloudy," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

The humidity also remained high at 93 percent in the morning, making it difficult for pollutants to disperse. The national capital faces westerly and southwesterly winds, which being moist were also not supportive of pollution dispersion. The average presence of particle pollutants, across 37 areas of Delhi during the morning hours were on the verge of 'severe' category.