New Delhi:
Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) recorded a marginal improvement in the air quality on Saturday due to a slight increase in wind speed.
The overall air quality index (AQI) in the city read 312 at 4 pm, down from 360 at the same time on Friday.
Most of the 37 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded AQI in the lower end the “very poor” category.
Nehru Nagar was the most polluted area with an AQI of 351, while Dilshad Garden (213) was the least polluted.
Neighbouring Ghaziabad (347), Greater Noida (336), Gurgaon (278), Faridabad (280) and Noida (322) also recorded a slight dip in pollution levels.
Weather experts said the air quality will improve further on Sunday due to moderate winds blowing in the region.
However, pollution is expected to increase again from Monday due to a dip in wind speed under the influence of a fresh western disturbance.
“The system would restrict the flow of winds over Delhi-NCR, which will lead to accumulation of pollutants,” private forecaster Skymet Weather said.
“There are chances of good rain on November 25 and 26. If that happens, pollutants will be washed away. Otherwise, a long-term relief is expected only after November 28,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said no drastic dip in the air quality is expected until November 25.
“Due to cloudy weather, the satellites have been able to detect only 64 farm fires in Delhi’s neighbouring states,” it said.
“Stubble plume transport-level winds are back but the high surface winds in Delhi won’t allow pollutants to accumulate. Hence, no significant stubble impact is expected for the next two days,” it said.
