Rai to hold review meet today as air still 'very poor'; farm fires' share 8%

New Delhi: Strong surface winds swept through Delhi on Sunday, bringing about a visible improvement in the air quality — despite which the air remained in the "very poor" category with officials in the Delhi government saying a high-level meeting to review action plans will be held today.

They said Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will on Monday hold a high-level meeting to review the curbs imposed to contain high pollution levels in the city. Emergency measures were imposed last week after directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR.

But even as the DMRC and DTC get a DDMA nod to allow standing passengers, these agencies are in a bind over how to enforce Covid restrictions and limit the number of standing passengers in Metro coaches and buses.

Winds gusting up to 20 kilometres per hour swept through the city, dispersing pollutants partially and improving visibility.

The city recorded its 24-hour average air quality index at 349, down from 374 on Saturday. Neighbouring Faridabad (377), Ghaziabad (319), Gurugram (364)

and Noida (322) also recorded their air quality in the 'very poor' category.

R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said wind speed reached up to 20 kmph during the day, improving visibility from 800 metres in the morning to the range of 2,200 metres to 3,000 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and the Safdarjung Airport.

Winds gusting up to 30 kilometres per hour are likely on Monday, the IMD predicted.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor SAFAR said, As farm fire counts are reducing rapidly, the share of stubble burning-related pollutants in Delhi's PM2.5 (pollution) may remain negligible on Monday in spite of high (transport-level) wind speeds. Stubble burning accounted for eight per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution on Sunday.

"Relatively high surface winds and moderate mixing layer height results in efficient ventilation of near surface pollutants. The air quality is likely to improve to the lower end of the very poor category over the next two days," it said.

However, a likely drop in air temperature and surface wind speed from November 24 might lead to accumulation of pollutants.

A misty, nippy morning gave way to a sunny, pleasant Sunday and the maximum temperature settled at 27.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season's average. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast similar weather on Monday.

Sunday's minimum temperature was recorded at 9.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal, they said. The

relative humidity recorded at 5.30 pm was 90 per cent, they said.