Delhi experienced its coldest night of the season on Thursday as it witnessed a significant drop in mercury levels with the minimum temperature recorded at 8.5°C. The temperature held steady on the subsequent morning at 8:30 AM on Friday, signaling the commencement of the winter season.
The figure represents a decline of nearly four degrees compared to Wednesday night, when the minimum temperature was recorded at 12.5 degrees Celsius, attributing it to the prevailing cold north westerly winds across the region. A shallow fog enveloped the city, intensifying the chill.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast indicating that a fresh western disturbance will impact the western Himalayan region and the adjoining plains of northwest India starting December 8.
This is expected to bring a drop in temperatures across several parts of the region, including Delhi, with the mercury likely to dip to 7°C in the coming days.
Delhi’s AQI marks improvement
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) marked a significant improvement to the ‘moderate’ category, for the first time after the national capital faced persistent air pollution since Diwali.
According to the latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 183 as of 7:00 AM on Friday, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category.
As per the data of CPCB, the AQI at Punjabi Bagh stands at 212, Patparganj at 195, Chandni Chowk and ITO at 183, Okhla Phase 2 at 168, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at 159, IGI Airport terminal 3 (T3) at 137, Lodhi Road at 124, and Arya Nagar at 115.
However, there were several areas that were categorised as ‘poor’, including Anand Vihar which recorded an AQI at 246, Mundka at 244, Wazirpur at 208, RK Puram at 204, and Rohini at 217.
At RK Puram, truck-mounted water sprinkler was deployed to spray tiny droplets of water in an effort to combat the effects of air pollution.
Air Quality decline
The air quality is segregated into six categories to measure the quality of air in a specific region. The scale which ranges from 0 to 500, is designed to indicate varying levels of concern. AQI between 0-50 is classified as good, 51-100 is moderate, 101-150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy, and above 301 is hazardous.
Delhi’s air quality plummeted to hazardous levels following Diwali celebrations, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded in the ‘very severe’, ‘severe’, ‘very poor’, and ‘poor’ categories across various parts of the city. The deteriorating air quality prompted widespread concern, with residents reporting difficulties in breathing and experiencing a range of health issues, including eye irritation and throat discomfort.
GRAP-4 restrictions lifted
The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 5) directed The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to revoke stages III and IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), recognising the improved air quality. However, the measures under the first two stages remain enforced.
Stage IV included restriction on construction activities, expressing discontentment on the delay of compensation of construction workers.
The bench however said that the stage III curbs will be reinforced if the AQI rises back to 350, and stage IV if it surpasses 400.
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