The national capital’s air quality index worsened and reached to 'very poor' category at 304 on Tuesday morning. The northwest district recorded the most polluted air, according to the Central Pollution Board's data. Tuesday was the season's worst air day so far.
The air pollution reaches to ‘Worse’ category in Delhi-NCR every winter. When the pollutants from stubble burning combine with the suspended water droplets in the lower atmosphere to form a thick blanket of noxious smog, they create health hazards for the residents.
The India Meteorological Department says the spike in pollutants is a result of low wind speeds, along with an increase in stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.
Delhi’s AQI reaches to ‘Very Poor’ category: Key Points
- Out of the 36 pollution monitoring stations, the air quality index in as many as 19 stations is in the 'very poor' category, 14 stations recorded the index in the 'poor' category, one recorded it in the 'moderate' category and two were non-functional.
- The area near northwest Delhi's Wazirpur recorded the highest AQI at 379, followed by 364 in Dwarka Sector 8 and Mundka. Lodhi road logged the cleanest air in the capital city at 193.
- The NCR, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida, and Greater Noida -- have also recorded 'very poor' quality of air.
- Greater Noida's air is currently the most polluted amongst all. Gurugram, on the other hand, has the lowest AQI at 289 in the 'poor' category.
- Other cities that have a very poor quality of air include, Rajasthan's Bhiwadi tops the charts, followed by Greater Noida, Panipat, Bhagpat, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Delhi, Agra, and Noida.
- SAFAR- System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research, categorizes air quality in the 0-50 range as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor, and above 400 as severe.
