Delhi's air quality turns 'severe'

December 05, 2020 12:36

Delhi's air quality turned "severe" on Saturday with slow wind speed allowing the accumulation of "locally generated" pollutants, according to India Meteorological Department officials.

However, it is expected to improve by Monday as the wind speed is likely to pick up.

At 10 am, the city's air quality index (AQI) was 401, which falls in the "severe" category.

The 24-hour average AQI was 382 on Friday, 341 on Thursday, 373 on Wednesday, 367 on Tuesday, 318 on Monday and 268 on Sunday.

Air pollution in the neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (AQI 446), Greater Noida (401) and Noida (406) also entered the "severe" zone.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe".

The wind speed remained slow allowing the accumulation of pollutants generated locally, V K Soni, head of the IMD's environment research centre said.

"Easterly winds carrying moisture also led to the formation of secondary particulate matter. All these factors together pushed the air quality in the 'severe' zone," he said.

However, Soni said, the air quality is likely to improve to the "poor" category by Monday as the wind speed is expected to pick up.

According to the IMD, the maximum wind speed is likely to be 8 kmph on Saturday, 10 kmph on Sunday and 15 kmph on Monday.

The minimum temperature in Delhi was 11 degrees Celsius on Saturday and the maximum is expected to settle around 28 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.

However, the minimum temperature is likely to dip again with the wind direction changing to northwesterly by Monday, according to IMD officials.

Westerly and northwesterly winds blow from snow-laden western Himalayas towards the plains.

Shallow to moderate fog is also predicted over the next two days, the IMD said. -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

IPL PIX: Jadeja's all-round show powers CSK to win

Ravindra Jadeja's superb all-rounder show powered Chennai Super Kings to a thumping 28-run victory against Punjab Kings.

'Govt won't privatise GIC Re at this stage'

'Because it is the only public sector company in this sector, currently.'

Home loan outstanding up by Rs 10 lakh cr in last 2 yrs

Credit outstanding to the housing sector rose by nearly Rs 10 lakh crore in the last two fiscals to reach a record Rs 27.23 lakh crore in March this year, according to RBI's data on 'Sectoral Deployment of Bank Credit'. Experts from...

WFI furious as Bajrang handed provisional suspension

Bajrang Punia has been handed a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during the recent trials.

Bengal Governor asks staff to ignore police summons

The direction comes after Kolkata Police constituted an inquiry team to probe into the woman's allegation against the governor.