• Source:PTI
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Air Pollution: This year, Delhi witnessed a sharp improvement in air quality just ahead of Diwali which can be attributed to intermittent rainfall on Friday and wind speed favourable for the dispersion of pollutants. The strict enforcement of the firecracker ban could result in Delhi's finest Diwali day air quality in eight years on Sunday.

Delhiites woke up to clear skies as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 202 at 7:00 AM, the best in at least three weeks. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.

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Saturday's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 220, the lowest for the day before Diwali in eight years. Last year on Diwali, Delhi recorded an AQI of 312, it was 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.

Beginning on October 28, the city saw "very poor" to "severe" air quality for two weeks, during which time a thick haze hung over the nation's capital.

Earlier, the IMD had predicted a marginal improvement in the air quality just ahead of Diwali, owing to favourable meteorological conditions, including light rain, under the influence of a western disturbance. A western disturbance led to rains over most parts of northwest India, including Punjab and Haryana, effectively reducing the contribution of smoke from stubble burning to Delhi's air pollution.

However, scattered cases of firecracker burning were reported on Saturday night in numerous districts of the capital.

Due to fortunate weather, fewer stubble-burning instances, delayed rainy spells and an early Diwali, the national capital was spared from becoming a gas chamber last year.

(With Inputs From Agency)