Delhi air quality slipped to 'severe' again but likely to improve marginally next week
301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe-plus'. Delhi has been seeing a gradual increase in the AQI levels after a marginal improvement was witnessed on Sunday. The 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm every day, was 390 on Thursday, 394 on Wednesday, 365 on Tuesday, 348 on Monday and 301 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the air quality early warning system, developed by the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, revealed that pollution levels are likely to oscillate in the 'very poor' to 'severe' categories in the next few days. According to news agency PTI, a scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) also predicted a brief relief due to a likely improvement in meteorological conditions under the influence of a western disturbance — which is expected to affect northwest India starting November 27. The spike in the AQI levels was seen after the Centre removed stringent curbs — including a ban on construction work related to linear projects and the entry of polluting trucks in Delhi — on Saturday.
Meanwhile, data showed by a joint project by the Delhi government and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, revealed that vehicular emissions accounted for about 38 per cent of the capital's air pollution on Thursday, November 23, PTI reported. Secondary inorganic aerosols are the second major contributor to Delhi's foul air, accounting for 25 to 35 per cent of the air pollution in the city over the last few days. the report said.
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