New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 308 at 8.40 a.m. However, a further improvement in air quality is expected over the next few days as wind speeds are likely to increase.
Of the 59 air quality monitoring stations that reported data on Wednesday, 29 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while the remaining stations fell in the ‘poor’ category. Notably, none of the monitoring stations reported ‘severe’ air quality.
Among the stations recording ‘very poor’ AQI were Burari (319), Chhawla (398), NIH Narela (356), Talkatora Garden (333), NSUT Jaffarpur (351), Badarpur (312), Punjabi Bagh (343), Sirifort (321), Pusa (361), NSIT Dwarka (352), Chandni Chowk (383), ITO (369), Wazirpur (323) and Jahangirpuri (324).
Other locations, including Karala (220), Ghoga (263), Nangloi (274), Maidan Garhi (277), Tikri Kalan (276), Ghummanhera (279), Dwarka Sector 8 (294), Bawana (306) and Narela (267), recorded varying levels of pollution.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between zero and 50 is classified as ‘good’, 51-100 as ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 as ‘moderate’, 201-300 as ‘poor’, 301-400 as ‘very poor’ and 401-500 as ‘severe’.
Meanwhile, the CPCB on Tuesday clarified that variations between AQI figures displayed on private applications and its official platform stem from differences in pollutant concentration measurements and calculation methodologies, rather than any under-reporting.
In a statement posted on X, the pollution watchdog responded to media reports questioning AQI reporting during and after Diwali. The concerns included the capping of AQI readings at 500, missing data from certain monitoring stations in Delhi and discrepancies between different platforms.
Following Diwali celebrations on November 8, India featured prominently in global pollution rankings, with 93 Indian cities among the world’s 100 most polluted locations, according to AQI.in data published on November 9.
Separately, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast fog or mist during early morning hours in Delhi from November 11 to 16. The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 28 and 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to range from 14 to 16 degrees Celsius.
On November 11 and 12, the maximum temperature is forecast to settle at 28 degrees Celsius, with the minimum between 15 and 16 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature may rise to 29 degrees Celsius between November 13 and 15, while minimum temperatures are expected to remain between 15 and 16 degrees Celsius.
–IANS
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