New Delhi, Nov 21 (UNI) The national Capital woke up to another day of hazardous air on Friday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 364, despite a slight improvement from the previous day, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
On Thursday, the rolling average of the city’s AQI stood at 391, deep in the ‘very poor’ category. While the citywide average fell slightly from the previous day, spatial variation persists with some stations improved modestly while others continued to record ‘severe’ levels.
At 425, Wazirpur, Bawana, and Jahangirpuri were the worst affected across the national capital, recording the AQI readings in the ‘severe’ zone. While the least polluted stations, such as Mandir Marg (226), IHBAS Dilshad Garden, and IGI Airport (277), also witnessed foul air, which figures in the “poor” air category.
As per CPCB classification, an AQI between 0 and 50 is ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.
Meteorological conditions are compounding the crisis. Low wind speeds and a shallow mixing layer have restricted the dispersion of pollutants, allowing smog to accumulate near the surface. Forecast models and experts warn of little immediate relief over the next 48 hours unless winds pick up.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 11.4 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees below normal, while the maximum settled at 28.2 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
