Delhi, Nov 11: Following a downpour on Friday, Delhi’s air quality showed a slight improvement on Saturday, transitioning from the ‘Very Poor’ category to ‘Poor,’ as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 7 am indicated Anand Vihar at 295, RK Puram at 230, Punjabi Bagh at 244, and ITO at 263.
Despite the marginal improvement post-rains, concerns persist about Delhi’s air quality. A local resident and morning walker at Kartavya Path commented, “After the rains, the pollution has slightly decreased, but the bad air quality condition persists. We are still facing some problems in breathing.”
On Friday at 7 am, the overall air quality in Delhi was 407, as per data from the government’s air-quality monitoring agency, SAFAR. The 10 am AQI reading was 361, falling within the ‘Very Poor’ category but indicating a slight improvement from the previous ‘Severe’ category.
CPCB data highlighted two stations with a ‘Severe’ AQI, with Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium at 407 and Shadipur at 405. Areas with a ‘Very Poor’ air quality index included Sonia Vihar at 399, Ashok Vihar at 390, Bawana at 389, Wazirpur at 385, ITO and Jahangirpuri both recording 381 AQI, and Vivek Vihar registering an AQI of 380.
Levels of pollutants PM 2.5 and PM10 dipped after 4 am across Delhi and its surrounding areas. The weather department forecasted a partly cloudy sky with mist or shallow fog in the mornings for the next two days post-Diwali.
The Delhi government is actively implementing anti-pollution measures and is exploring the concept of ‘artificial rain’ to address the pollution issue. Members of the Aam Admi Party were observed inspecting the execution of anti-pollution initiatives on Thursday night.
Expressing deep concern over hazardous air quality, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed an immediate halt to stubble burning by farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, considering it a major contributor to air pollution.
