Delhi AQI Improved to ‘Poor’ Not ‘Severe’, as Winds Disperse Pollutants Post Diwali

The air quality in Delhi remained in the " poor" category on Saturday, despite relentless bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations the previous days. Thanks to above-normal temperatures and favourable winds that helped in the dispersion of pollutants. A thick layer of haze blanketed the national capital, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 362 at 9 am on Friday, as people defied a citywide ban on firecrackers on Diwali. However, the condition improved and the city's 24-hour average AQI recorded at 4 pm was 339, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 It was anticipated that Delhi's air quality would enter the "severe" category due to the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, but it remained "very poor" category on Friday and returned to "poor" on Saturday morning.

"Despite the ban, firecrackers were burst in Delhi-NCR. However, the air quality did not reach the severe category as the winds helped improve the situation," environmentalist Vimalendu Jha told PTI. There is a possibility of a spike in pollution levels in the capital due to unfavourable weather conditions in the coming days.

Areas including Alipur, Anand Vihar , Ashok Vihar , Aaya Nagar, Bawana, Burari , Mathura Road, IGI Airport, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri , Mundka, Patparganj, Rohini, Sonia Vihar  and Wazirpur recorded "very poor" air quality on Friday, according to the Sameer app that provides hourly updates of the National AQI published by the CPCB.

In its report on Diwali, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said the AQI did not show any significant change, even though many people flouted anti-pollution norms. According to the report, the 24-hour average AQI reached 328 on Thursday, rising to 360 on Friday morning.

The report said the PM2.5 levels decreased by 4 per cent as compared to last year's Diwali, while the PM10 levels increased by 11 per cent. Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet, said, "This year, pollution levels were not as high as anticipated. We expected the air quality to fall into the severe category, but winds started blowing from the northwest at a good speed, which dispersed pollutants."

Delhi's air quality improved to 'poor' on Saturday as surface winds helped disperse pollutants. Sameer app that provides hourly updates of the national Air Quality Index (AQI) published by the Central Pollution Control Board, noted that the national capital's AQI was at 290 compared to 362 early on Friday.