Residents of the national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog as the air quality dipped amid cold wave conditions. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded in the ‘severe’ category.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 427 on Sunday (December 22), as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). While the AQI remains hazardous in the national capital, it showed slight improvement from 434 recorded on December 21. The prominent pollutant, once again, is PM2.5, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said.
In addition to the cold wave conditions that have the city shivering, layers of smog engulfed the national capital on Sunday morning.
The Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) bulletin issued yesterday indicated that the air quality would remain in the ‘severe’ category on Sunday but could improve to ‘very poor’ category from December 23. Over the next six days, the air quality will remain between ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’, according to the forecast.
The minimum temperature at 7am was recorded 8 degrees Celsius, which is where it is likely to settle for the day, as per India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 24 degrees Celsius. The city may see partly cloudy skies.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast two western disturbances, which are likely to affect the region in the coming days.
Mumbai air quality
Meanwhile, Mumbai has been witnessing its coldest winters in decades, pushing its air quality down. For the fourth consecutive day, the city was shrouded in a blanket of smog with the overall AQI touching 176 on Sunday (December 22). Earlier this week, the AQI also touched 199 in the ‘poor’ category.
Several citizens posted videos and pictures on social media showing the worsening air quality in Mumbai. Some visuals also showed the Bandra-Worli Sea Link vanished due to the smog.
With the AQI in Mumbai hovering around 200 (poor) for a few days now, the Bombay High Court on December 21 pulled up the Maharashtra government and other authorities and asked them to take effective measures to curb pollution in the city.