Delhi’s air quality remains 'very poor' amid ongoing cold wave
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New Delhi: The air quality in the national capital has plunged into the "very poor" category, worsened by the ongoing cold wave.
As of 6 a.m. on Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 349, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Moderate fog is expected to persist in parts of Delhi, as predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Temperatures in the city range between 23 to 26 degrees Celsius during the day and 8 to 9 degrees Celsius at night.
Delhi is also forecasted to experience thunderstorms and rain on January 22 and 23, with foggy conditions expected for the remainder of the week.
The AQI readings in various parts of Delhi are as follows: Anand Vihar (407), Vivek Vihar (390), Wazirpur (381), Ashok Vihar (366), Chandni Chowk (347), Dwarka-Sector 8 (379), Jahangirpuri (373), ITO (370), Lodhi Road (360), Najafgarh (310), R K Puram (380), Rohini (370), and Shadipur (331).
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi forecasts that air quality will remain in the "Poor" category from January 20 to 21, with "Very Poor" to "Poor" conditions likely to continue for the following six days.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had revoked Stage-III measures under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Friday, after air quality worsened. However, Stage-I and Stage-II measures have been intensified to prevent the AQI from worsening further.
In its statement, CAQM noted that AQI is expected to stay at the lower end of the "Very Poor" category due to favorable meteorological conditions and strong wind speeds, as per forecasts from IMD and IITM.
On Sunday, the 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 368 ("very poor") at 4 p.m., a significant increase from the previous day’s 255 ("poor"). By 8 p.m., the AQI had dipped slightly to 360, prompting CAQM to hold off on further restrictions.
The Supreme Court recently revised the threshold for invoking Stage-III measures under GRAP to an AQI of 350, down from 400. This includes restrictions on private construction, demolition activities, and the use of BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel private vehicles.
Stage-III measures were lifted on January 16 after Delhi’s AQI remained below 300 for two consecutive days.
With IANS inputs