New Delhi, Nov 19 After a small breather, Delhi's air quality again deteriorated to the poor category on Thursday. The national capital woke up to a smoggy morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) varying between poor to very poor category in various parts on Thursday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI around IGI Airport (T3), was at 229 (poor category), at Lodhi Road, it read 181 (moderate category), in RK Puram, the AQI showed 287 (poor category) while it reached 306 (very poor category) at Anand Vihar in the morning.
As per the ministry of earth sciences, the overall AQI of the capital city remained at 249 after declining from 132 recorded in the previous day, the data from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) showed.
An AQI reading between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".
Ministry officials forecast the air quality to deteriorate further by the end of the day as stubble burning share in the PM 2.5 is likely to increase to 24% against the 8% reported yesterday. The current stubble count was reported at 967. Besides, the low-velocity airflow is not able to carry away the pollutants from the capital's atmosphere.
"The overall air quality of Delhi is in the Poor category as of today morning and likely to deteriorate to Very Poor by today evening. Surface winds are calm and boundary layer wind direction is North-Westerly. The stubble transport level direction and speed is highly favourable for intrusion. Effective Stubble fire counts with sufficient potential estimated from SAFAR-multi-satellite products increased after a dip during the Diwali period and are around 967. Stubble burning share in PM2.5 in Delhi's air is likely to increase and estimated as 24% for today," the officials forecasted.
The officials added that the AQI is set to deteriorate and predicted to be in the Very Poor category for tomorrow. However, they also added that subsequently the AQI is forecast to marginally improve and to settle in the lower end of very poor category on November 21 and 22.
"Due to accelerated local surface winds but with slightly lowering of inversion layer height leading to relatively better ventilation conditions, the AQI is forecasted to marginally improve and to settle in the lower end of very poor category on 21st and 22nd November," the officials explained.
( With inputs from IANS )
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