Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor', panel to review situation today

Delhi's air quality entered 'very poor' category with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 303 at 6:30 am on Friday after two days of remaining 'poor'. With the air pollution levels in the national capital coming down in the last few days, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said it will review the situation today.

According to data by SAFAR, AQI is presently at 280 in Dhirpur, 303 at IGI Airport (T3), 337 at Delhi University, 329 at Noida and 239 at Gurugram. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The Centre's air quality panel may take a call on revoking the curbs in place in Delhi-NCR under the third stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), PTI reported.

All construction and demolition work, except for essential projects, is banned in Delhi-NCR under the third stage of the GRAP. The curbs were imposed when the air quality was severe in the first week of November.

PM 2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream. An AQI of above 400 is considered 'severe' and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses.

Transport-level winds blow in the lowest two layers of the atmosphere -- the troposphere and stratosphere -- and carry smoke from farm fires from neighbouring states to the national capital region. Stubble burning and vehicular emissions are the major reasons for air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Farm fires in Punjab increased from 605 on Tuesday to 1,778 on Wednesday. However, their share in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution dipped from 9 per cent on Tuesday to 5 per cent on Wednesday, according to data from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and SAFAR.

BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers will continue to stay off roads in Delhi under stage 3 of GRAP.