The city has entered an abominable phase amid weather changes and dense fog forecasts. Its air quality continues to be “very poor”.
Worrying trend of Delhi air quality continues unabated. Wednesday brought a 24-hour Air Quality Index reading of 336 at 4 pm for the capital, which, by definition, means it fell under the “very poor” category. Even yesterday, it had remained in that category and attracted a “severe” rating by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The AQI scale defines that good ranges from 0-50, from 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 as very poor, and 401-500 as severe. Since the AQI is at a value of 336, Delhi air falls in the limit in the higher range of “very poor,” indicating high-level concentration of pollutants, which pose hazards for health, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as children, older people, and those with lung infections. On Wednesday, the low in Delhi dipped to 8.4 degrees Celsius — a good 1.5 degrees below the average for this time of year. That translated to a cooler start. While Wednesday’s high, at 22.4 degrees Celsius, was a couple of degrees below Tuesday, it remains two degrees higher than its seasonal average for this week.
Thursday, which will be partly cloudy and capital with chances of light scattered rain in the evening with dense fog likely to prevail throughout the late night till morning hours. Conditions like this should remain until December 25, 26, and 28. On Thursday, the very light to light chance of rain has been forecasted as likely later during the day. Poor air quality will further trouble the city as Delhi fights with it. The weather will add to the problem because the air quality index is still at alarming levels that could prove rather problematic during winter months when pollution levels normally are highest for public health. It is impossible to talk of high pollution mixed with cold; therefore, residents of this city cannot stay away from hazardous air.
Surface winds are expected to be light and slower tomorrow from the northeast less than 4 km/h. A pick in the day takes them into being less than 8 km/h to come from north-north-west in the afternoon. There are drops at night, with less than 4 km/h coming from the north expected for the evening and nighttime. Changing wind speeds would help in eliminating some quantity of pollutants but could be not that vital in making the air quality much better. This weather forecast further goes on to indicate dominating smog and thick fog throughout much of the city except for the condition of thick fog as isolated conditions during the early morning hours, though both fog and thickest smog reduce visibility due to which it may restrain travel and will make an already tough day for commutes with yet another uninviting addition to this air quality.
It suffers problems from pollution and climatic conditions and also has rigid check through the government. The “very poor” levels of air quality show that still there is the need to devise ways to end the causes of pollution in Delhi, that are the emission from the vehicles, industrial processes and crop burning by the states bordering it. Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases have been the outcome and the most vulnerable population is the ones getting hurt by bad air quality. Even if somehow the rain managed to clean the atmosphere for a moment, air quality could only slightly improve, though even that wouldn’t hold long. It is again a continuous need to have efforts put into reducing polluting things and improving quality to change air quality from the city for long duration, thus also changing peoples’ health.
To prevent for the immediate period and into the future, residents have to be advised to reduce outdoor exposure, which should generally be done in the time slots of the morning and evening when levels of the pollutants are at their peak. While staying indoors reduces exposure to such pollutants, mask-wearing will prove helpful inside too, besides use of air purifiers.
Conclusion:Indeed, it seems that the overall pollution within the capital city and conditions of fog tend to give an extremely challenging face of air quality to it.
This constant exposure to pollution from day-to-day and adding this complication of fog condition makes it important that the city, air quality will still pose to be a very vital concern for the future days to come.
Source: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Weather Department