Delhi pollution set to get worse due to fall in temperature, low wind speeds

The pollution levels in New Delhi were pushed up again owing to falling temperature and low wind speeds. The pollution level in Delhi is expected to get worse in the coming days.

The average daily air quality index (AQI) rose from 322 on Saturday to 352 on Sunday.

An AQI value between 301 and 400 is considered as "very poor". The AQI had hit a peak of 486 on November 9 when pollution levels in Delhi stayed in the "severe" zone for a week, leading to a public health emergency.

The PM10 reading shot up to 370ug/m3 at 7 pm on Sunday from 276 at 3 pm on Saturday.The level of the smaller and deadlier PM 2.5 particulate matter also hit 226ug/m3 on Sunday from 171 the previous day. A PM2.5 level of 300 and above falls in the emergency "severe+" zone.

The wind speed dropped from around 7km per hour on Saturday to less than 3km per hour on Sunday. Pollutants are accumulating again as the winds with very low speed are not being able to flush them out," D Saha, head of the air quality laboratory at the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB), an HT report stated.

OneIndia News