Delhi Begins Day with 'Poor' Air Quality; IMD Predicts Cloudy Weather
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Synopsis
On January 21, Delhi faced 'poor' air quality with an AQI of 319 recorded at 6 a.m. The city is enveloped in a toxic haze due to fluctuating regulations under the Graded Response Action Plan, leading to confusion. IMD forecasts cloudy skies and a rise in temperatures over the next days.
Key Takeaways
- Delhi's AQI reached 319 on January 21.
- Air quality worsened due to GRAP regulation changes.
- Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 345.
- Cloudy skies are expected on January 22 and 23.
- Authorities recommend limiting outdoor activities.
New Delhi, Jan 21 (NationPress) Delhi began the day with unfavorable air quality on Tuesday, as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was noted at 319 at 6 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The city is enveloped in a toxic haze, exacerbated by fluctuating regulations under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), causing confusion among residents due to the shifts between withdrawal, imposition, and reimposition of Stages I, II, III, and IV.
At 6 a.m. today, the AQI levels reported by CPCB in various city areas were: Okhla Phase 2 (320), Alipur (300), Rohini (332), ITO (318), Ashok Vihar (322), Shadipur (257), Mundka (343), Wazirpur (338), Jahangirpuri (318), Narela (305), R.K. Puram (314), Pusa DPCC (316).
Anand Vihar registered the highest AQI at 345, while DTU reported the lowest at 233.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts cloudy skies over Delhi on January 22 and 23, with a 2 degrees Celsius increase in minimum temperature observed over the past 24 hours. A thin layer of fog was also noted in parts of Delhi-NCR, compounding the difficulties posed by the ongoing cold wave.
Previously, on Friday, the Centre’s air quality panel lifted restrictions under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and neighboring regions as the air quality showed improvement.
This decision came a day after the Commission for Air Quality Management rolled back GRAP 4 following a decline in air pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR.
The CAQM stated that its sub-committee on GRAP met on Friday to evaluate the air quality situation in the region along with the forecasts from IMD/IITM.
“According to the Air Quality & Weather forecast provided by IMD/IITM, there is a high probability that the AQI of Delhi will remain in the lower end of the ‘Very Poor’ category in the upcoming days due to favorable meteorological conditions and strong wind speeds,” the CAQM noted.
Officials advise residents to minimize outdoor activities and implement pollution control measures whenever feasible.
