Delhi’s air quality severe for third day, mild rain adds to pollution woes

New Delhi, Dec 12: The Air quality in the national capital remained ‘severe’ for the third consecutive day with mild rains further adding to pollution woes and thick haze engulfing the metropolish.
The Central Pollution Control Board or CPCB recorded an overall air quality index (AQI) of 413.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. The AQI on Monday was recorded at 412 and on Tuesday it was at 415.
According to experts, even healthy people find it hard to breathe when air quality level is at ‘severe’ and doctors advise physical activity to be kept at a minimum.
Neighbouring Ghaziabad and Noida also recorded ‘severe’ air quality. Ghaziabad’s air quality was the worst at an AQI of 429, the CPCB data showed. Faridabad recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, it said.
Twenty-nine areas in Delhi recorded ‘severe’ air quality and in eight areas it was at ‘very poor’, the added.
The overall PM2.5 level — fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre — was recorded at 257 and the PM10 level at 423, it said.
The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said meteorological conditions leading to insufficient rain led to deterioration of the air quality.
According to the IMD, the air quality is likely to remain under ‘severe’ category for next two days. Situation is likely to improve after that when wind speed picks up.
The relative humidity was recorded on Wednesday at 98 per cent, MeT officials said.