Delhi’s AQI drops again, remains in ‘poor’ category

October 21, 2020

The national capital’s air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday at 7 am was 262, which was worse than the previous day’s at 223, but still managed to remain in the poor category.
AQI between 201 and 300 is considered to be in the poor category.
The Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) bulletin on Tuesday at 4 pm showed an improvement of the AQI at 223, which is at the lower end of the poor category.Earlier on Monday, Delhi’s AQI was 244.
Data from the Union of Earth Sciences’ (MoES) System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) showed that the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana on particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers, or PM 2.5, was 8% on Tuesday.
“Synergised stubble burning fire counts around Haryana, Punjab, and neighbouring regions stand at 1,017. The transport-level wind direction is favourable. Our model estimate of stubble burning share in PM 2.5 is 8% for Tuesday, and is likely to increase by early Wednesday,” said the Safar forecast.