As Delhi braces for days with deadly air pollution teamed up with smog, the air quality in the national capital has already started declining ¨C as of now, purely due to local factors. After a week when Delhi¡¯s air quality was reported to be ¡®good¡¯ for the second time in the year, the pollution level is increasing again.
Since last Tuesday, the air quality index or the AQI has increased by more than four times i.e. 159, as per the Centre¡¯s SAFAR initiative- System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research Institute.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in between 0-50 is measured good, between 51-100 is said to be satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 is poor, 301-400 is very poor while 401-500 is severely polluted.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that the surge in Delhi¡¯s pollution level is due to local factors, especially vehicular pollution. These factors have led to an increase in pollution since monsoon has retreated.
CPCB data said that PM10 level i.e. presence of particles with a diameter of 10 mm or less was recorded at 171 in the national capital region which is moderate and 167 in the capital city alone. The presence of particles with a diameter of 2.5 mm or less i.e. PM 2.5 level in the air was 85 in Delhi and 81 in the NCR, says a Mirror Now report.