New Delhi: Delhi recorded the fourth consecutive day of ‘severe’ pollution with the Air Quality Index at 429 on Friday. This Dec is the worst since Dec 2021 when a streak of six consecutive ‘severe’ days was logged from Dec 21 to 26.
According to Central Pollution Control Board data, Dec 2023 had three consecutive ‘severe’ days. There was no such streak in Dec 2022 when AQI surpassed 400 two times in the entire month.
This year, the city recorded the first ‘severe’ day on Dec 17, with the AQI at 433. It inched closer to ‘severe plus’ on Dec 18 with an AQI of 445 and turned ‘severe plus’ on Dec 19 at 451.
No major improvement in air quality is expected over the weekend. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting body under the Union earth sciences ministry, the air quality is likely to improve to ‘very poor’ on Saturday but deteriorate to ‘severe’ on Sunday.
“Under the influence of a feeble western disturbance, calm winds have been prevailing in the city, causing trapping of pollutants. The increase in moisture also impacted the air quality. No change is likely in air quality over the next two days as similar conditions may prevail. However, wind speed may increase from Dec 23,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, Skymet Meteorology, adding that a strong western disturbance was expected to impact north-west India on Dec 27-28, likely causing rainfall and improving the air quality.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “We are going through a severe smog episode even after the crop burning season is over. This indicates high emissions from the local and regional sources — vehicles, industry, waste and solid fuel burning and construction. This has health implications. While taking whatever immediate action is possible to reduce high exposures now, speed up efforts for more deep-rooted systemic action to control the problem.”
Delhi recorded moderate fog on Friday, with the visibility dipping to 300 metres at 7.30am at Safdarjung, which is the city’s base weather station. Palam witnessed shallow fog with visibility of 700 metres. The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for moderate to dense fog on Saturday and Sunday.
The minimum temperature dipped at most locations in the city on Friday. It was 7.5 degrees Celsius, which is one degree below normal, at Safdarjung. This was 2.5 degrees lower than Thursday’s minimum temperature. The maximum temperature was at 23.3 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal, slightly higher than the 23 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
