Air quality in Delhi, neighbouring areas at severe low

Delhi’s air quality turned “severe” on Sunday with slow wind speed allowing the accumulation of pollutants, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials.

However, it is expected to improve soon as the wind speed is likely to pick up.

At 10 am, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 401, which falls in the “severe” category.

Air pollution in the neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (AQI 446), Greater Noida (401) and Noida (406) also entered the “severe” zone.

An AQI between zero 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”.

“Easterly winds carrying moisture also led to the formation of secondary particulate matter. All these factors together pushed the air quality in the ‘severe’ zone,” said an IMD official.

The minimum temperature in Delhi was 11 degrees Celsius on Saturday and the maximum is expected to settle around 28 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.

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