Delhi breathes clean air for the fifth consecutive day

With a drastic decline in air pollution, the national capital continues to breathe a spell of clean air. The air quality in Delhi was recorded in good category on Tuesday. According to the latest estimates updated by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the air quality index (AIR) dropped to 28.

“The overall AQI in Delhi was in the good category. Enhanced rainfall activity is likely in next two days in Delhi. As forecast, strong easterly surface winds are persisting and likely to continue for next 24 hrs and helping to keep air quality good through high ventilation. AQI is forecast to stay at the satisfactory to the good category on Tuesday and likely to marginally deteriorate and in the satisfactory category for next two days. Widespread rainfall is likely over Maharastra and Gujarat for the next two days. Air quality continues in the good category for Pune, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. AQI is likely to stay good for the next three days. Pune AQI is the best among all four SAFAR cities,” SAFAR forecast said.

AQI between 0-50 is considered safe, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor. At 300-400, it is considered very poor and 401-500 falls in the severe category. The air quality above 500 is severe as well as in the emergency category.

On August 31, it recorded over a 24-hour average AQI of 41 which was the lowest since the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) started maintaining air quality records in 2015.

According to CPCB the improvement in air quality can be attributed to favourable weather – good wind speed , rainfall and restrictions due to Covid-19.