Delhi Air Pollution Again reaches ‘Severe’ levels

Delhi Air Pollution Again reaches ‘Severe’ levels

The country capital is continuously going down in the terms of air quality and this increase the pollution level

The capital Delhi's air quality deteriorated on Friday even as authorities said rainfall predicted in the next couple of days might lower the pollution levels. The city's air quality was in the "very poor" category.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 348, which falls in the "very poor" category. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under "moderate" category, 201 and 300 is considered "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", while that between 401 and 500 is "severe".

Owing to a rise in humidity and light winds, the overall air quality of the national capital slipped to the 'severe' zone on Saturday, despite the authorities predicting it would remain in the 'very poor' category.

"Calm winds along with a spike in humidity levels because of an induced Cyclonic Circulation over Northern Plains are the major contributors for a hike in pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas," Mahesh Palawat, Director at private weather forecasting agency Skymet.

He said that the pollution levels might increase in the coming days as humidity levels are expected to go up due to rains in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

"Around January 13 and 14, moderate to dense fog is expected to make a comeback, which will result in high pollution levels and minimums will see a drop by a couple of degrees," he said.

However, the Sky met Director said that post-January 15, the air quality might start improving due to cold, north-westerly winds which will blow over the plains of the country.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), in its daily pollution analysis, has been maintaining that the air quality in Delhi won't go beyond the 'very poor' category.

On Saturday however, many areas in Delhi and adjoining areas at 12 p.m recorded 'severe' levels of toxic particulate matter (PM).

Some Other areas also fared in the same category.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light rainfall at isolated places in Delhi over the weekend which might bring down pollution levels.

Delhi-NCR witnessed its first better days of the year with the air quality recorded in the 'poor' zone on Wednesday and Thursday. 

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