Delhi’s air quality showed signs of improvement on Friday morning, registering an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 283, placing it in the ‘poor’ category, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This marks a significant drop from the previous day’s ‘very poor’ category, where the AQI had reached 340 on Thursday morning. The improvement comes as a relief to residents after Wednesday’s alarming AQI of 364.
While Delhi’s air quality has shown a positive shift, the overall picture remains concerning. Several other cities across India continue to grapple with ‘very poor’ air quality. Bhiwani registered an AQI of 210, Bulandshahr at 220, Baghpat at 205, Charkhi Dadri at 222, Chandrapur at 223, Ghaziabad at 220, Hapur at 232, Jaisalmer at 205, Kaithal at 241, Khurja at 272, Meerut at 258, Mandi Gobindgarh at 248, Pali at 254, and Pithampur at 250.
Even within Delhi, the situation is uneven. While the overall AQI has improved, several CPCB stations across the city still recorded ‘very poor’ AQI readings, including Ashok Vihar (305), NSIT Dwarka (314), Rohini (311), Jahangirpuri (320), Burari Crossing (314), and Sonia Vihar (312).
The improvement in Delhi’s air quality is attributed to a combination of factors, including a slight increase in wind speed and temperature. However, experts warn that this improvement may be short-lived. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) has predicted that Delhi’s air quality is likely to settle in the ‘poor’ category on Friday and deteriorate to ‘very poor’ over the weekend. The forecast for the next five days predicts ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ air quality due to unfavorable meteorological conditions, including low wind speeds and a drop in temperature.
Abhishek Kar, Senior Program Lead at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), highlighted the impact of stubble burning in upwind states on Delhi’s air quality. He stated, “The air quality levels in the capital are plummeting due to a drop in wind speed and temperature over the past few days combined with an increase in stubble burning in upwind states.”
In response to the rising pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Monday. GRAP is a set of emergency measures aimed at controlling air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). Under Stage II, agencies are carrying out various measures, including mechanical/vacuum sweeping, water sprinkling, and strictly enforcing dust-control measures, in addition to other pollution control measures.
The current situation underscores the need for a multi-pronged approach to address the persistent issue of air pollution in Delhi and surrounding areas. The focus should be on reducing emissions from various sources, including vehicular traffic, industrial activity, and stubble burning, along with implementing effective pollution control measures.