Delhi's air quality remains in 'very poor' category; likely to deteriorate further

New Delhi: The air quality in the Delhi –NCR remained in the 'very poor' category, as the Air Quality Index AQI stood at 400 on Thursday around 10:30 am, it is likely to deteriorate further in the next two days, said the latest data from System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

“Air quality is expected to deteriorate for the next 2 days but remains in the upper end of very poor or touch lower end of severe category intermittently,” said SAFAR.

The AQI forecasting agency also said the AQI on Thursday is in the middle range of 'Very Poor' category as was predicted.

“Winds at transport level are likely to increase in speed for the next two days and the direction (coming from the northwest) is also favorable for transport of stubble-related pollutants to Delhi as fire counts are also increasing,” it said.

It said that calm local surface winds may cause conditions that weaken dispersion.

The agency also reported that the share of crop residue burning is 27 percent in PM2.5 and the effective fire count reached at 5,317.

However, the agency also predicted that Air quality is likely to improve on November 13.

The top five air pollution hotspots include areas around Narela, Rohini and Delhi University.

However, in some areas, the air quality continued to remain in the 'severe' category. While Delhi University's North Campus area recorded an AQI of 441, the Mathura road reported an AQI of 422. Pusa Road reported an AQI of 379, IIT Delhi of 367, and Lodhi Road of 367.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 is 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 is classified as 'moderate', 201 and 300 is 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 is 'severe'.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 13.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the normal.

“The maximum temperature for Thursday would be around 28, while the minimum at 13 degrees Celsius,” said IMD. (UNI)