Even though the national capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which was 431 this morning, showed a modest improvement, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “severe” category on Saturday for the third straight day.
The capital city’s AQI on Friday during the equivalent morning session was 472. Additionally, Noida and Gurugram in the national capital region (NCR) area had AQI readings of 529 and 478, respectively, at 7 a.m. this morning, both in the extremely poisonous “severe” category.
An AQI of 534 was measured in Dhirpur, West Delhi.
SAFAR (the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) said on Friday that burning stubble contributed 34% of Delhi’s particulate matter.
When the Air Quality Index is between 0 and 100, it is good; when it is between 100 and 200, it is moderate; when it is between 200 and 300, it is bad; when it is between 300 and 400, it is very poor; and when it is between 400 and 500 or above, it is severe.
Due to smog and air pollution, residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) have complained of choking and “eye burning” as a result of people gasping for breath.
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, and Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, held a press conference earlier on Friday and urged the federal government to step up and take the initiative to control severe smog in the national capital region.
The projection, however, anticipates that the state of the air quality in Delhi and the surrounding areas will continue to deteriorate and expects recovery by November 5.
“Air quality is likely to remain within ‘Severe’ today and likely to improve tomorrow to ‘lower end of Severe’ and from 5th onwards air quality is likely to improve further to ‘Very poor’ due to upper-level wind reversal that prevents inflow of stubble-related pollutants. Higher surface wind speed on 5th Nov is likely to disperse pollutants,” said a press release.