Delhi air pollution: AQI ‘poor’ on Diwali morning. Will it get worse today?

Following the rainfall on Friday, the average air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘poor’ category, while the air quality index (AQI) in Noida and Gurugram is hovering between the poor and moderate categories on Sunday morning, on the day of Diwali, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website showed.

The CPCB’s pollution forecast released for the next six days suggested the relief might be temporary, making for rather sooty days when the air quality will deteriorate on and post Diwali.

According to the forecast, the AQI would reach “very poor” on Sunday and further fall to “severe” on November 13.

Latest updates on Delhi NCR air pollution:

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in Anand Vihar was recorded 267 at 7am, while it stood at 241 in RK Puram. In Punjabi Bagh, the AQI clocked at 233 and 227 in ITO on Sunday morning.

In Noida Sector 62 in Uttar Pradesh, the AQI stood at 184 (moderate) AQI at 7am. However, the average AQI in Nodia Sector-125, AQI remained poor at 217.

Similarly, in Haryana’s Gurugram, while AQI recorded at 260 in Sector-51, the air quality index improved at the moderate category (181) in Teri Gram, the CPCB data showed at 7am.

Despite recent rains offering a slight respite, Delhi’s air quality continues to be a matter of concern. The overall air quality in Delhi at 7am on Friday was 407, according to data by the government’s air-quality monitoring agency, SAFAR. The Air Quality Index recorded at 10am was 361, which, according to the index range, falls in the ‘Very Poor’ category but showed a slight improvement from the “Severe” category.

According to the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), two stations recorded ‘severe” AQI. Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium had an AQI of 407 at 10am on Friday.

This year, between November 2 and November 9, Delhi lives through its longest and most severe stretch of air pollution when the AQI was above 390 for a record eight consecutive days.

For the six days after November 14, “the air quality is likely to remain in ‘severe’ to ‘very poor’ category,” said the forecast.

Officials said that despite lower pollution levels, measures under stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) – which include a ban on construction and most heavy vehicles from outside of Delhi — will remain in place until a review on Monday.

On Saturday, the MCD issued 383 challans to violators in Delhi for open burning of waste and other material during November 1-10, civic officials said.

Besides, 887 tandoors have either been removed or demolished as part of pollution control measures.

Officials of Delhi Police conducted patrolling in the Chandni Chowk market in the national capital on Saturday, a day ahead of Diwali. The Delhi Police carried out the exercise across the city. Similar foot patrolling was also conducted at Malviya Nagar in the South Delhi district.