Delhi air quality dips again, to stay in ‘very poor’ till mid week
The improvement had prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to revoke stage-3 measures of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi NCR.
New Delhi : The Capital’s brief reprieve from polluted air ended on Sunday, as air quality slid back to the “very poor” category, just two days after strong surface winds had led to a sharp improvement in pollution levels, official data showed. Forecasts indicate that air quality in Delhi is likely to remain in the “very poor” category for the next several days.
The air quality index (AQI) stood at 298 (poor) at 8am and worsened to 300 (poor) by 11am. The 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 307 (very poor) at 4pm, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily national bulletin.The AQI further deteriorated to 310 by 7pm and was logged at 304 by 10pm.
This reversal came two days after strong surface winds of 15–20 kmph had significantly improved air quality, pushing AQI levels back into the “poor” range on Friday. Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI was logged at 236 (poor) at 4pm on Friday and 267 on Saturday.
The improvement had prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to revoke stage-3 measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) across the National Capital Region with immediate effect on Friday. Despite the return of “very poor” air quality on Sunday, stage-3 measures remained lifted. However, stages 1 and 2 of Grap continued to remain in force.
To be sure, Grap comprises four stages that are implemented based on AQI levels. Stage-1 measures are generally triggered when the AQI crosses 200, while stage-2 measures apply once levels exceed 300. Stage 3, categorised as “severe”, is defined at an AQI of 400, and stage 4, or “severe plus”, at over 450. However, last winter, CAQM was directed to implement stage 3 measures at a lower threshold of 350.
According to forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, air quality is likely to remain in the “very poor” category in the coming days. “The air quality is likely to be in the ‘very poor’ category from Monday to Wednesday. The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the ‘very poor’ category,” the AQEWS bulletin said on Sunday.
The CPCB classifies air quality as “moderate” when AQI is between 101 and 200, “poor” between 201 and 300, and “very poor” between 301 and 400. AQI levels beyond 400 are categorised as “severe”.
Meanwhile, no significant fog was observed over Delhi on Sunday, despite the India Meteorological Department issuing a yellow alert a day earlier warning of possible moderate to dense fog. The alert was withdrawn earlier on Sunday. “No alerts have been issued for the upcoming days. Mainly clear skies will persist, with possibility of shallow fog in most places and moderate fog in isolated parts of the city,” an IMD official said.
As many as 20 arrivals and 23 departures were cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport as of 10pm on Sunday, officials said.
The minimum temperature on Sunday was 7.4°C, 0.5°C above normal, compared to 8.1°C a day earlier. IMD forecasts show minimum temperatures of 7–9°C on Monday and 8–10°C on Tuesday, with “no significant change in minimum temperatures in the next 24 hours”. The maximum temperature stood at 17.3°C, unchanged from Saturday, and is expected to range between 17 and 19°C on Monday.
IMD has also forecast dense to very dense fog conditions across North India for the next seven days, with cold day conditions likely in some pockets.
