No reprieve for Delhi as the AQI could fluctuate between very poor and severe for six days

Smog continued across Delhi on Wednesday, with air quality falling into the ‘very poor’ category and improving slightly from a day earlier.

Meanwhile, forecasts predict that air quality will fluctuate between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories in the coming days.

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, it is likely to remain in one of the two categories for the next six days.

Delhi’s 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 334 at 4 pm on Wednesday, an improvement from 354 on Tuesday, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

Pollution levels were significantly worse over the weekend, when AQI readings crossed the 400 mark and fell into the ‘severe’ category on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Of the 39 active air quality monitoring stations in the city, 29 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while the remaining stations reported ‘poor’ levels, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app. ITO recorded the highest AQI at 378, while IGI Airport recorded the lowest value at 258, both falling into the ‘poor’ category.

According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 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’.

Data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management showed that transport contributed 16.3 percent of Delhi’s pollution on Wednesday, down from 11.95 percent a day earlier.

Industries in Delhi and its peripheral areas accounted for 8 percent, neighboring Jhajjar contributed 16.5 percent, while other sources constituted the largest share at 34.3 percent.

Transport-related emissions are expected to rise further to 17.4 percent on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius, which was 2.3 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature remained at 24.7 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The humidity fluctuated between 68 and 100 percent during the day.

The weather bureau has forecast moderate fog on Thursday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 23 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius respectively.

– Ends