Delhi's air quality improves to 'moderate' level as AQI reaches 190
New Delhi, October 25: Delhi residents received a sigh of relief as the national capital witnessed a significant improvement in air quality, shifting to the 'moderate' category. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) reported that the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) on Wednesday morning reached 190.
Various areas within Delhi displayed varying AQI levels. Delhi University area recorded 273, Pusa at 128, IIT Delhi at 173, Airport area at 211, Mathura Road at 152, and Lodhi Road at 149. In the neighboring cities, Noida registered an AQI of 218, while Gurugram reported a reading of 169.
This positive development follows three days of 'very poor' air quality in the Delhi-NCR region, primarily attributed to a combination of low temperatures, stagnant winds, and agricultural fires in the nearby states.
Nonetheless, the Decision Support System (DSS), which identifies the sources contributing to Delhi's PM2.5 levels, predicts that Delhi's AQI may fluctuate between "poor" and "very poor" throughout the remainder of the month, largely due to meteorological conditions.
Simultaneously, the national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a maximum temperature of 31 degrees Celsius during the day.
The Delhi environment minister, Gopal Rai, noted the significance of the next two weeks for Delhi due to the overlap of Dussehra, Diwali, and agricultural fires, which are beyond their control. He emphasized that controlling pollution sources is vital to minimize the health impact on the population.
The Delhi government has identified eight new pollution hotspots in the city, including Shadipur, ITO, Mandir Marg, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, Sonia Vihar, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, and Moti Bagh. Action plans will be devised for these areas, and special teams will be deployed to monitor pollution sources. Currently, there are a total of 21 pollution hotspots in the national capital.
- With inputs from agencies