Delhi AQI at 197 on Tuesday: 'Moderate' Label Hides 27 Poor-Air Stations
Delhi's air held in the 'moderate' band at 197, but more than half of the city's monitors logged 'poor' readings, and forecasts point to a bumpy week before any real relief.
Delhi's air quality index stood at 197 on Tuesday, keeping the capital in the 'moderate' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). That is up from 174 on Monday and 153 on Sunday, a steady three-day climb.
The headline number masks a patchier picture. Of Delhi's 55 monitoring stations, 27 recorded 'poor' air, one (Ghogha) logged 'satisfactory' air, and the rest were 'moderate'. Jahangirpuri was the worst hit, with an AQI of 280.
For a morning-briefing read on what is driving the haze, the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management points first to transport, at 21.3 per cent of the city's pollution. Residential sources account for 5.4 per cent and industries in Delhi and its periphery for 4.8 per cent. Construction (3 per cent), energy (2.1 per cent), waste burning (2 per cent), road dust (1.5 per cent) and other sectors (1.4 per cent) make up smaller slices. A further 23.3 per cent is attributed to other sources.
Neighbouring NCR districts add to the load. Sonipat leads at 7.7 per cent, followed by Panipat at 5.7 per cent and Baghpat at 3.6 per cent. Muzaffarnagar and Jhajjar contribute 3.3 per cent each, Karnal and Ghaziabad 2.2 per cent each, Gurugram 1.3 per cent and Gautam Buddh Nagar 0.8 per cent. Stubble burning's share in the data is 1.5 per cent.
The outlook is mixed. The Air Quality Early Warning System expects the air to stay 'moderate' on Tuesday, then slip to 'poor' on Wednesday. A recovery to 'moderate' is forecast for October 29 and 30, but the following six days are likely to swing between moderate and poor. Weak dispersion is the reason: a ventilation index below 6,000 square metres per second and average wind speeds under 10 kmph make it harder for pollutants to clear.
On the farm front, satellites picked up 203 fire incidents across six states on October 26, per the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. Punjab reported 103, Rajasthan 49, Uttar Pradesh 20, Madhya Pradesh 18, Uttarakhand 11 and Haryana two. None were detected in Delhi itself.
The takeaway for residents: a 'moderate' tag is not a free pass, especially in hotspots like Jahangirpuri, and the next week looks set to test the city's air again. Source: Daily Pioneer.