Delhi Breathes Easier As Air Quality Improves To 'Moderate' Category, AQI At 190

New Delhi: The air quality in the national capital improved to the moderate level on Wednesday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 190, according to SAFAR-India. The latest data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) showed that the air quality around Delhi University was poor at 273, while the IIT area in New Delhi was moderate at 173. The air quality in Lodhi Road was also moderate at 149, as per SAFAR. The air quality was moderate at 190 in areas like Signature Bridge and Akshardham. On Tuesday, the AQI was above 300 in at least 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi. Noida and Gurugram recorded poor and moderate AQI levels at 219 and 169 respectively.

The statement from SAFAR said that the predominant surface wind in Delhi is likely to come from the northwest direction with wind speeds of 12-16 kmph, becoming calm in the evening. The sky will be clear and misty in the morning on October 26. SAFAR had predicted the air quality to be at the lower end of the very poor category on October 26, but it was recorded to be in the moderate category on Wednesday morning.

Speaking to news agency ANI, a cyclist near India Gate, Suyog Salukhe said that the poor air quality in the city is affecting his health. “The winters have not even begun but the pollution level is already going up. As cyclists, when we step out of our house at 5 am, we expect the air to be pure but that is not the case these days. It takes a toll on our health,” Suyog said. Rakesh, a morning walker in the Red Fort area, blamed vehicular traffic for the pollution.

“Earlier, we used to walk to Jama Masjid from here, Bhagirath Palace, at around 4.30 am. We could walk till 8-9 am. Now, we can only walk for half an hour because the pollution has increased. The main cause is vehicular movement,” Rakesh said. Another morning walker in the area, Bishnu Kumar Pal, urged everyone to wear masks. 

“Pollution is high. I am from Guwahati and I came here only yesterday. The pollution is not this high there. I have been carrying the mask, everyone should have this. I am aged, I can face breathing problems due to pollution so I need to stay safe,” he added.

Stubble burning in parts of Punjab and Haryana has worsened the air quality in the national capital in the past few days. According to data, over 2,500 cases of stubble burning have been reported this year so far. However, farm fire numbers are better than those of the previous two years. 

Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in Delhi to reduce the impact of increased pollution in the national capital. “The cold has started increasing in Delhi and the speed of the wind has decreased, this may result in an increase in pollution… The particulate matter is staying near the ground. The second phase of GRAP has been implemented in Delhi… A meeting has been called with all the concerned departments to discuss the execution of the GRAP phase 2,” Rai told ANI.

 “The weather is not in our hands but the sources need to be controlled so that the effect of pollution on the health of the people is reduced as much as possible,” the Environment Minister added. The Air Quality Index is a tool for effective communication of air quality status to people in terms that are easy to understand. There are six AQI categories, namely Good + Satisfactory, Moderately Polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Each of these categories is decided based on the ambient concentration values of air pollutants and their likely health impacts (known as health breakpoints).