Delhi's air quality again turns 'poor', likely to remain same for next 2 days

New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) A day after recording 'moderate' AQI, Delhi's air quality slipped into 'poor' category on Tuesday, with forecast suggesting it will remain the same for the next couple of days.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 234 at 4 pm on Tuesday, marking a drop from Monday’s 'moderate' reading of 186.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI between 0 and 50 as 'good', between 51 and 100 as 'satisfactory', between 101 and 200 as 'moderate', between 201 and 300 as 'poor', between 301 and 400 as 'very poor', and above 400 as 'severe'.

Of the 38 air quality monitoring stations in the capital, two reported AQI in 'very poor' category on Tuesday.

While 27 stations recorded 'poor' AQI, the rest were in the 'moderate' category, according to the Sameer app which provides hourly data.

The primary pollutant on Tuesday was PM2.5, which was recorded at 87.9 µg/m³ at 3 pm. These fine particles pose significant health risks as they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

Meanwhile, the Decision Support System (DSS), a tool used to assess and estimate sources of pollution in Delhi which had not been updated since November 29, was restarted on Monday.

According to the DSS, the daily mean of local and non-local fractional contributions to PM2.5 in Delhi on Tuesday was estimated at 20.2 per cent, while Wednesday's forecast predicts it to contribute 15.6 per cent to Delhi's pollution.

Forecast suggests AQI to remain 'poor' in the capital for the next two days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.

The air quality showed improvement in the beginning of December, shifting from 'very poor' to 'poor' and then further to 'moderate'.

However, Sunday saw a sharp deterioration as AQI turned 'very poor' from 'moderate'. Since then, the AQI has been fluctuating between 'poor', 'very poor', and 'moderate' categories.

Meanwhile, the daytime temperature in Delhi was recorded at 23 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, two notches below normal, the weather department said.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 8 degrees Celsius, also two notches below normal, it said.

As per the forecast of the India Meteorological Department, the maximum and minimum temperatures in Delhi on Wednesday are likely to hover around 23 degrees Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively, with possibility of mist. PTI NSM ARI