Delhi’s air quality index reaches ‘very poor’ on Diwali; Mumbai at ‘medium’ level
As Diwali was celebrated across the country on Monday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) turned ‘very poor’ while other significant cities recorded ‘moderate’ or ‘satisfactory’ air quality.
Delhi’s air quality reached the “inferior” category with an AQI of 312. This is the first ‘terrible’ wind day of the weather for the national capital.
Gurgaon and Noida also recorded the air quality in the ‘inferior’ category with respective AQIs of 322 and 305.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered “very poor”, and prolonged exposure can cause respiratory illness.
Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) termed the air quality in Mumbai and Pune as ‘moderate’ and ‘satisfactory’, respectively. The CPCB recorded an AQI value of 136 yesterday, with significant pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 in Mumbai.
According to the CPCB, Bengaluru recorded an AQI indicator value of 100 with’ satisfactory’ air quality. A’ moderate’ AQI value of 192 was recorded in Chennai. As per the Supreme Court order, the Tamil Nadu government had specified that crackers should only be burst from 6 am to 7 pm and 7 pm to 8 pm.
