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Air quality

Delhi's Air Quality Deteriorates Again After Brief Improvement

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Delhi's brief respite from deteriorating air quality was short-lived, with the city clocking an air quality index of 303, classified as "very poor" on Saturday. This comes after a 150-point improvement in 24-hour average AQI on Friday, which was attributed to a change in wind direction. Experts believe that the increase in stubble burning contributed to the deterioration in air quality.

Key Takeaways:

  • The air quality index in Delhi deteriorated to 303 on Saturday, classified as "very poor" by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
  • The CPCB reported a 150-point improvement in 24-hour average AQI on Friday, which was attributed to a change in wind direction.
  • The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's air pollution increased from 1.6% on Friday to 9.03% on Saturday, according to the Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management.
  • The contribution of pollution from Jhajjar in Haryana increased from 4.89% on Friday to 10.66% on Saturday, which significantly impacted Delhi's AQI.
  • The Centre's Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) forecasted that the city's AQI will remain in the "very poor" category for the next few days.
  • The wind speed has remained variable throughout Saturday, and the impact of slight rain in neighboring areas has faded, leading to an increase in air pollution levels.

Statistics:

  • Air Quality Index in Delhi: 303 (very poor) on Saturday
  • 24-hour average AQI improvement: 150 points on Friday
  • Contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's air pollution: 9.03% on Saturday (up from 1.6% on Friday)
  • Contribution of pollution from Jhahjar in Haryana: 10.66% on Saturday (up from 4.89% on Friday)
  • Minimum temperature in Delhi: 19.4 degrees Celsius (3.3 degrees above normal)
  • Maximum temperature in Delhi: 30.5 degrees Celsius (0.5 degrees below normal)

Sources:

  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
  • Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management
  • Central Government's Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS)
  • Skymet Meteorology
  • Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • Hindustan Times

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