Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, with forecasts indicating a likely deterioration to the 'severe' category ahead of Diwali. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 389 at 8 am on Friday, compared to 369 recorded on Thursday.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Air Quality Index (AQI) in the area around ITO and Feroz Shah Kotla Road was reported at 420, categorised as 'Severe'. Anand Vihar witnessed AQI 353, while Badarpur 351.
18 Locations Record 'Severe' Air Quality
Of the 59 active air quality monitoring stations in the national capital, 18 recorded 'severe' air quality, with Jahangirpuri registering the highest AQI of 454 at 4 pm on Thursday, according to CPCB data.
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is classified as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor' and 401-500 as 'severe'.
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"The outlook for the subsequent six days is that the air quality is likely to be in the severe to very poor category," the AQEWS bulletin said.
Forecasts by the Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management in Delhi indicate that the contribution of stubble burning to the city's pollution is expected to decline sharply on November 7, while the share of vehicular emissions is projected to rise.
Delhi AQI May Turn Severe On Diwali: Experts
Meanwhile, experts said Delhi is likely to witness severe air quality on Diwali, with a deterioration in pollution levels expected to begin from Friday and a further spike anticipated in the days following the festival as weakening winds could trap pollutants over the city.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, Delhi's air quality is likely to remain in the very poor category on Friday before deteriorating to the severe category from November 6 to 8. The outlook for the subsequent six days indicates that pollution levels are likely to remain in the severe to very poor category.
Weather and air quality experts said that Diwali-related pollution could further aggravate the situation, with the impact of firecrackers expected to coincide with the peak stubble-burning season and unfavourable meteorological conditions. Moderate northwesterly winds originating from northwest Rajasthan are expected to prevail over the national capital until November 7, while light easterly winds are likely to set in from the night of November 8, potentially helping disperse pollutants to some extent on Diwali, said Mahesh Palawat of Skymet.
(With Agencies Inputs)