Delhi's air quality in ‘severe’ category due to low wind speed
2 min read . Updated: 22 Jan 2023, 07:52 PM IST
PremiumIn light of the sudden deterioration in air quality, the CAQM subcommittee on GRAP held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss potential measures
Due to a decrease in wind speed on Sunday, Delhi's air quality breezzed into the "severe" category of the quality index. According to the central pollution control board's (CPCB) national bulletin, the air quality index (AQI) for the national capital was 407 at 4 p.m.
As predicted, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) is expected to improve starting on Monday, according to the commission for air quality management (CAQM) in the national capital region (NCR) and surrounding areas. As a result, the CAQM has decided not to implement any Stage III GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) measures.
Stage III of GRAP is invoked generally when the AQI crosses 400.
On Sunday, the CAQM subcommittee on GRAP held an emergency meeting to discuss potential responses to the sudden deterioration in air quality.
According to a statement from CAQM, "During the meeting, it was noted that the sudden and steep dip in air quality parameters in the last 24 hours is an aberration as the forecasts predict immediate improvement with the overall AQI to move into the ‘very poor’ category from Sunday night itself,"
There was a strong indication, according to the dynamic model and weather and meteorological forecasts offered by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), that Delhi's overall air quality will improve and largely fluctuate between "poor" and "very poor" categories in the upcoming days.
The statement further read, “Considering the above position and after comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario and other relevant aspects, the sub-committee has decided that ongoing actions implemented under Stage-II of GRAP along with Stage-I shall continue and it is not considered necessary to invoke Stage-III of GRAP at this moment."
In accordance with Stage III, all private construction projects in Delhi-NCR are suspended, and brick kilns and hot mix plants that don't use clean fuels are shut down.
All mining and related activities, including stone crushing, have been halted. The Delhi government also has the option to forbid the operation of BS-III gasoline and BS-IV diesel vehicles in the city.
The CPCB classifies an AQI of 0 to 50 as "good," 51 to 100 as "satisfactory," 101 to 200 as "moderate," 201 to 300 as "poor," 301 to 400 as "very poor," and 400 and higher as "severe."
After January 9 and January 10, when the AQI was 434 and 407, respectively, this is the third day this month that the air quality is considered to be "severe."