Slight improvement in AQI after rains in Delhi

New Delhi [India] : Morning showers in parts of Delhi on Friday offered marginal improvement in the toxic air that people in the national capital had been battling with over the past few weeks.

The overall air quality in Delhi at 7 am today was 407, according to data by the government’s air-quality monitoring agency SAFAR. The Air Quality Index recorded at 10 am was at 361 which according to the index range falls in the ‘Very Poor’ category but showed a slight improvement from the “Severe” category.

According to the data released by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), two stations recorded ‘Severe’ AQI -Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium had AQI of 407 at 10 am today.

At Shadipur, the AQI was at 405. Among areas that had ‘Very Poor’ air quality index were Sonia Vihar at 399, Ashok Vihar at 390, Bawana at 389, Wazirpur at 385, ITO and Jahangirpuri both recorded 381 AQI, Vivek Vihar recorded an AQI of 380.

There was also a dip in the level of pollutants PM 2.5 and PM10 after 4 am across the national capital and surrounding areas.

For today, the Regional Meteorological Centre of the India Met Department has forecast a generally cloudy sky with light rain or thundershowers in the city and over the next two days it has predicted mainly clear skies with shallow fog in the morning.

For the next two days post Diwali Sunday, the weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky with mist or shallow fog in the mornings and thereafterwards for the subsequent two days it has forecast maibly clear sky with shallow fog in the mornings.

Delhi government is making efforts to execute anti-pollution measures, and it is also considering the idea of ‘artificial rain’ to curtail the pollution issue. Several ministers of the Aam Admi Party were also seen on the ground on Thursday night inspecting the execution of anti-pollution initiatives.

Currently, Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in the national capital.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the hazardous air quality in the national capital and directed that farmers should stop stubble burning forthwith in Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, saying it was one of the major contributors to air pollution.