New Delhi: The national capital’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category on Saturday morning. A government forecasting agency had predicted that air quality would improve by Saturday due to favourable wind speed.
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor, SAFAR, PM10 levels in Delhi were at 371 on Saturday while PM2.5 levels stood at 215. This is likely to improve to 296 for PM10 and 215 for PM2.5 on Sunday, SAFAR said in its forecast.
Delhi: Air Quality Index is in 'very poor' category near IGI Airport, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data pic.twitter.com/aymC0ZIs3F
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2020
PM10 levels below 100 g/m3 are considered safe in India. PM10 is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers and is inhalable into the lungs. These particles include dust, pollen and mold spores.
The levels of PM2.5 finer particles which can even enter the bloodstream were 231 g/m3. PM2.5 levels up to 60 g/m3 are considered safe.
Delhi: Air quality continues to remain under the hazardous category in several areas of the national capital; visuals from ITO, DND & Ghazipur area.
Air Quality Index at 459 in Anand Vihar area at 7 am, in 'hazardous' category, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data pic.twitter.com/hyJkq4MBO4
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2020
On Thursday, the city’s air quality index (AQI) touched ‘severe’ levels for a brief period before slipping back into the ‘very poor’ category.
Delhi recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 374 on Friday. It was 395 on Thursday, 297 on Wednesday, 312 on Tuesday, 353 on Monday, and 349 on Sunday.
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitoring agency, SAFAR, the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 36 per cent on Thursday, the maximum so far this season.
Several monitoring stations, including at Shadipur (417), Patparganj (406), Bawana (447) and Mundka (427), recorded air quality in the ‘severe’ category.
An AQI 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’.
On Thursday, PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR peaked to 424 microgram per cubic meter ( g/m3) at 10 am, the highest this season so far, according to CPCB data.
SAFAR said the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 19 per cent on Friday.
It was 36 per cent on Thursday, the maximum so far this season, 18 per cent on Wednesday, 23 per cent on Tuesday, 16 per cent on Monday, 19 per cent on Sunday and nine per cent on Saturday.
The number of farm fires in neighbouring states dropped from 2,912 on Wednesday – the highest so far this season – to 1,143 on Thursday.
Delhi’s overall air quality index (AQI) has improved marginally as predicted and remains in the high end of the ‘very poor’ category, it said on Friday.
The wind speed is expected to pick up and the improved ventilation is likely to influence air quality positively, SAFAR said.
A significant improvement is predicted by November 1 and the air quality is likely to slip back into the ‘poor’ category, it said.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the predominant wind direction was northerly and the maximum wind speed was 10 kilometers per hour. The minimum temperature was recorded at 13.1 degrees Celsius. It was 12.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday the lowest in October in 26 years.
Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion.
The city’s ventilation index a product of mixing depth and average wind speed was around 10,000 meter square per second on Friday favourable for dispersion of pollutants.
Mixing depth is the vertical height in which pollutants are suspended in the air. It reduces on cold days with calm wind speed.
A ventilation index lower than 6,000 sqm/second, with the average wind speed less than 10 kmph, is unfavourable for dispersal of pollutants.
On Thursday, the Centre introduced a new law through an ordinance that put in place a powerful oversight body to curb air pollution.
Under the ordinance released by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, the 22-year-old Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has been dissolved and replaced by a powerful commission comprising 18 members.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas will specifically look at Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas only and it will be binding on the states to follow its directions.
(With inputs from PTI)
By Shivam Urkude || Earth Indian
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