Air quality swings between poor, very poor

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 2

Air quality continues to a point of concern with the air quality index (AQI) on Sunday oscillating between "poor" and "very poor" levels due to local pollutants. Pollution agencies have said the particulate matters in the air is likely to rise in the coming days owing to dip in temperatures.

The overall AQI of Delhi was recorded at 322, which happens to falls in "very poor" category, going by the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) while the overall AQI as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stood at 297, which is said to be in "poor" 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 category is said to be “severe”.

Last week, the SAFAR had forecast that the national capital is expected to witness a significantly deterioration on Sunday due to a decline in temperature causing entrapment of pollutants.

In the next two days the air quality would deteriorate and be in the upper level of "very poor" category, it noted.

The pollution monitoring agency said the national capital is experiencing an insignificant intrusion (of pollutants) from outside of Delhi suggesting that it is ideal time to ascertain the impact of local emissions on the pollution level of Delhi.

As per the authorities, local emissions include pollutants from vehicles, construction activities and garbage burning, among others.

The CPCB said in 16 areas of the national capital, the air quality was recorded in the "very poor" category while in 12 areas the particulate matters were found to be in the "poor" category. It added that the PM2.5 level was recorded at 162 and the PM10 level stood at 345.