The humidity fluctuated between 96 and 76 percent during the day. (File)
New Delhi:
The air quality index continued to fluctuate between 'severe' and 'very poor' categories in Delhi.
The city's 24-hour average air quality index, measured up to 4pm on Sunday, was 318 (very poor), an improvement from the severe category recorded the previous day when it was 412, according to Central Pollution Control Board data (CPCB). .
None of the 38 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded AQI in the severe category on Sunday, compared to 20 stations that recorded severe air quality the day before, according to the SAMEER app, which provides hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', 401-450 'severe' and above 450 “severe plus.” CPCB data identified PM2.5 as the major pollutant, with a level of 138 at 3 p.m.
PM2.5 particles, which are 2.5 micrometers or smaller (about the width of a human hair), pose significant health risks because they can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, according to the CPCB.
The Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality management estimated that vehicle emissions contributed 18.1 per cent of Delhi's pollution on Sunday. Stubble burning, another major factor, was responsible for 19 percent of Delhi's pollution on Saturday.
The DSS provides daily estimates of vehicle emissions, while stubble burning data is typically released the next day.
The air quality in Delhi fell into the hazardous category on Sunday morning, with the AQI crossing 450 for the first time this season.
Air quality deteriorated further on Monday, with the highest average air quality index (AQI) of the season at 495. In response, Stage 4 restrictions under the Supreme Court-imposed Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were introduced across the city to stem the escalating tackle air pollution. crisis.
According to data, the city's air quality remained in the severe category from Monday to Wednesday. Although there was a slight improvement on Thursday and Friday, the situation returned to the severe category on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a thick layer of fog and smog covered the city during the morning and evening hours, reducing visibility.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the daily temperature was recorded at 29.1 degrees Celsius, two notches above the seasonal average.
The humidity fluctuated between 96 and 76 percent during the day.
The IMD has forecast moderate fog on Monday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 28 and 12 degrees Celsius, respectively.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
