Delhi Air Pollution: National Capital Records Best AQI On Diwali In 8 Years

Image credit: ANI

New Delhi: Delhi on Sunday recorded the best Air Quality in the past Eight years on Diwali, however, Firecrackers and Low Night Temperatures Pose Pollution RiskOn Diwali evening, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital remained in the "poor" category, however compared to previous years, this Diwali the AQI was not touching a grim milestone. Anand Vihar station, a notable hotspot, reported a "poor" category with PM 10 at 272 and PM 2.5 at 240. The CO level was at 62, and NO2 stood at 363, both falling under the "satisfactory" category according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, at the Bawana station, PM 10 recorded 127, categorizing it as "poor," while PM 2.5 at 99 was classified as "moderate." The CO level was 62, and NO2 was 63, both falling under the "satisfactory" category.

Improvement in Air Quality During Diwali: Lowest 24-Hour Average AQI in Eight Years

Based on data from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 312 on Diwali in 2022, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 201 while on Saturday, the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) marked 220, the lowest recorded on the day preceding Diwali in the past eight years.

The air quality in Delhi exhibited significant improvement just ahead of the festival, attributed to intermittent rain on Friday and favorable wind speeds that facilitated the dispersion of pollutants. In contrast, the 24-hour average AQI on Thursday stood at 437. Over the preceding two weeks, from October 28, the air quality in the city had ranged from 'very poor' to 'severe,' contributing to a dense smog that enveloped the capital during this period.

In the case of the Dwarka Sector-8 station, PM 10 reached 114, placing it in the "moderate" category, and PM 2.5 was at 95, categorized as "satisfactory." The air quality at the Indira Gandhi International Airport T3 area was in the "moderate" category with PM 2.5 at 116 and PM 10 at 99, in the "satisfactory" category.

The PM 2.5 at Jahangirpuri was recorded at 130 while PM 10 reached 125, placing both under "moderate" category. The carbon monoxide (CO) reached 72, in "satisfactory" level and NO2 was at 12, in the "good" category.

At Delhi University's North Campus station, the PM 2.5 reached 111, in the "moderate" category and PM 10 at 97, in the "satisfactory" category while the CO was at 95, in a "satisfactory" level.

Potential Surge in Pollution Levels Anticipated

There is a potential for an increase in pollution levels in Delhi on Sunday night, attributed to lower temperatures and the burning of firecrackers. Data from the 'Decision Support System' indicates that stubble burning in neighboring states, particularly Punjab and Haryana, contributed to 23% of pollution in the national capital on Wednesday. The smoke released from these incidents was a significant factor. On Thursday, the contribution of stubble burning to pollution rose to 33%, while it decreased to 10% on Friday.

The AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good"; 51 and 100 "satisfactory"; 101 and 200 "moderate"; 201 and 300 "poor"; 301 and 400 "very poor"; and 401 and 500 "severe".