Delhi’s air quality has alarmingly remained in the ‘Very Poor’ category for the fourth consecutive day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The national capital registered an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 332 at 6 am on October 23, just days after the city celebrated a Diwali marked by fireworks.
The city’s overall 24-hour average AQI stood at 353 by 4 pm on Wednesday, the highest recorded this season so far, an increase from 351 on Tuesday and 345 on Monday. Specific areas like Anand Vihar recorded a ‘Severe’ AQI of 429, while Jahangirpuri and Wazirpur were also in the ‘Very Poor’ category with AQI readings of 367 and 365 respectively. Other monitored areas like ITO, Ashok Vihar, Burari, and Punjabi Bagh also showed AQI levels in the ‘Very Poor’ to ‘Severe’ range.
In neighboring cities, Gurugram’s Sector 51 reported an AQI of 288 (Poor), Indirapuram in Ghaziabad recorded 271 (Poor), and Noida’s Sector 125 had an AQI of 308 (‘Very Poor’).
Pollution Dispersion Unlikely
The city experienced a dense smog throughout the day, with wind speeds remaining low, hovering around 7 kmph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning that conditions are unfavorable for pollutant dispersion in the coming days.
Krishna Mishra, a Senior Scientist at IMD, noted a shift in wind direction from easterly to westerly, but emphasized that wind speeds continue to be sluggish. “Nighttime winds are almost calm, and during the day they reach only 5-7 kmph,” he explained. While a weak western disturbance is anticipated around October 27, it is not expected to bring significant rainfall or a substantial increase in wind speed.
Following Diwali, wind speeds had briefly picked up on Tuesday, aiding in the dispersal of cracker emissions. However, this improvement was short-lived as wind speeds began to drop again from Tuesday night, coinciding with falling temperatures.
Projections from the Centre’s Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) suggest that Delhi’s AQI is likely to persist in the ‘very poor’ category until Saturday. Subsequently, it is expected to fluctuate between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ levels for the following six days.