Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 173 on Saturday morning, under the ‘moderate’ category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). However, some areas experienced ‘poor’ air quality, with AQI levels soaring to alarming numbers, hinting at what's to follow in weeks to come.

News agency ANI shared visuals of a foggy morning from Delhi’s Akshardham. Watch here:-

#WATCH | Overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stands at 173, in the 'Moderate' category as per SAFAR-India; visuals from Akshardham, New Delhi pic.twitter.com/na8P9q6unP

— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2023

According to data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall city AQI was 162 around 6 am. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded an AQI of 190, falling into the ‘moderate’ category. Similarly, CRRI Mathura Road station recorded a moderate air quality with an AQI of 152, while the ITO station registered an AQI of 191. Mandir Marg station recorded a moderate air quality with an AQI of 176.

In contrast, areas like Burari, Jahangirpuri, Dwarka Sector-8, Rohini, and Wazirpur station experienced ‘poor’ air quality, with AQI levels reaching 275, 251, 263, 247, and 235 respectively, according to CPCB data.

According to a report in The Indian Express, October 2023 is among the most polluted months Delhi has experienced since 2020. The city’s average AQI in the first 19 days of the month was 181.7, surpassing the averages recorded in 2022 and 2021. Despite the slight improvement from the 2020 average of 226.1, the city remains engulfed in a cloud of harmful pollutants.

Experts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have indicated that the city might not see substantial relief in the next few days. Wind speeds, now between 6 to 8 km/hour, are expected to dip further to 4 to 8 km/hour today. Although a slight improvement in wind speed is likely on Sunday, the AQI is likely to remain poor, the Indian Express reported.

The situation is aggravated by the limited impact of western disturbances this year. Unlike 2022, which witnessed six days of rain due to multiple western disturbances, this year, only one wind pattern has affected the city, leading to a single day of rainfall.

The PM 10 levels in Delhi were recorded at 161, and PM 2.5 levels stood at 82, both indicating hazardous air quality. The India Meteorological Department predicted mainly clear skies for today, with a recorded temperature of 17.2 degrees Celsius in the early hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the National Capital Region (NCR) are likely to settle at 32 and 16 degrees Celsius respectively for the day.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)