Delhi’s AQI might slip to 'severe' category again post Diwali

NEW DELHI:  Ahead of Diwali, the air quality in the national capital on Friday showed signs of improvement as the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘very poor’ category. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that after the festival, the air quality might again slip into ‘severe’ category.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Delhi, will also conduct ambient air quality monitoring 15 days continuously in the following three locations for the dif ferent parameters — Pitampura (PM10,SO2, NOX,PM2.5, Metals in PM10 = (Pb, Ni, As), Janakpuri (Metals in PM2.5 = ( Al,Ba & Fe )) and ITO.

As per officials from the IMD, Delhi’s air quality can get worse if there are additional emissions from firecrackers and traffic. The government’s weather agency had earlier stated that AQI will improve after Diwali as there are chances of drizzle and rain on November 15.

The AQI stayed in ‘very poor’ category at 379 in Anand Vihar at 8 am, 319 in Mathura Road, 363 in Bawana, 343 in Patparganj, 369 in Wazirpur, 481 in ITO, and 316 in RK Puram. Air pollution in these areas were found to be in the ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ category.

In a bid to prevent the novel coronavirus pandemic from worsening owing to poor air quality, the National Green Tribunal imposed a total ban on the sale and use of firecrackers in the NCR from midnight of 9 November till 30 November midnight.