Delhi air pollution: AQI under 'very poor' category; read prediction for next 24 hours

Delhi's air pollution level, on Wednesday morning, was categorised as 'very poor', with the gross Air Quality Index (AQI) at 362. According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the national capital's AQI was recorded at 331 in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday morning and the AQI is likely to reach the higher end of the same category by the end of the day and then slip to the lower end of 'severe' category by Thursday. 

Delhi air pollution & quality

"Surface Winds are likely to be very calm with a low ventilation index pushing AQI to severe by tomorrow and fluctuate between severe to the upper end of very poor thereafter until 18th November," the Centre-run monitoring agency said. 

Delhi's air quality was again in the severe category with the 24-hour average AQI recorded at 403 after remaining in the 'very poor' category till Tuesday morning when the AQI was recorded at 396. The AQI in neighbouring cities was also in the 'very poor category -- Ghaziabad (356), Greater Noida (361), Gurugram (369) and Noida (397) -- at 4 pm.

"The intrusion of stubble burning related pollutants into Delhi is not likely for the next two days due to unfavourable (winds coming from east direction) transport-level winds. The effective farm fire count has reduced to 1820 and its contribution to Delhi’s PM2.5 today is 8%. The peak in fire count appears to have reached last week and fire counts are now starting to show a declining trend which is delayed by about 1 week from the previous year due to the late withdrawal of the monsoon," SAFAR stated. 

Work from home policy in Delhi-NCR?

On Tuesday, the Delhi government suggested implementing work from home policy in Delhi-NCR and closing down industries as part of measures to curb the pollution crisis during a meeting with competent authorities of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. 

The Supreme Court, which had instructed the Commission For Air Quality Management to hold the joint meeting regarding the pollution levels in Delhi, will hear the matter on Wednesday.

Previously, CM Arvind Kejriwal-led government had informed the Supreme Court that it is ready to implement steps like complete lockdown in Delhi to control air pollution but it would become effective only when it is imposed across the NCR areas in neighbouring states too.