Capital shivers at 6.2°C; AQI improves slightly

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, December 14

Delhi air quality improved marginally as it was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category on Thursday. In the national capital, the minimum temperature dropped to 6.2 degree Celsius.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), wind blew at a speed of 4-12 kmph from southwest and northwest directions on Thursday.

The weather office has forecast that maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 23-24 and 6-7°C respectively this week. Also, shallow fog will persist in the morning throughout this week.

Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has forecast that the air quality is likely to remain in ‘very poor’ category from December 15-17.

“The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from west and north directions in Delhi with wind speed 4-8 kmph, with a partly cloudy sky and shallow fog in the morning on December 15,” it said.

However, nearby areas of Delhi also showed improvement in air quality as Faridabad (278), Gurugram (282), Ghaziabad (264), Greater Noida (277), Noida (282), Meerut (225) all fell in ‘poor’ category.

Many areas in Delhi recorded AQI more than 350-plus: Bawana was at 380, Jahangirpuri at 371, Mundka at 366, Nehru Nagar at 379, Punjabi Bagh at 356, Sonia Vihar at 354, Wazirpur at 361.

An AQI between zero 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’.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter on pollution on Thursday, asked all stakeholders to cooperate to tackle the issue of pollution. Justice Sanjay Kaul remarked, “Let us at least endeavour to make our next winter better.”