Mask Up Delhi! National Capital records first ‘poor’ air reading of the season, AQI touches 227

The deterioration in air quality is also attributed to falling temperatures and changes in wind speed, which affect the dispersion of pollutants and contribute to their accumulation in the atmosphere.

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Delhi Pollution (Representational Image)

New Delhi: In a concerning development, the National Capital on Wednesday recorded its first poor air quality reading of the seasonAccording to the official data, the Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 227 at 7.05 amThe Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data highlights that the air quality turned poor overnight into WednesdayThe deterioration followed Dussehra celebrations on Tuesday evening, when effigies were burnt and firecrackers were set off in several parts of the city, adding to emissions from Durga Puja festivities.

Here are some of the key details:

• An AQI of 0-50 is classified as good, 51-100 as satisfactory, 101-200 as moderate, 201-300 as poor, 301-400 as very poor and 401-500 as severe, according to the CPCB.
• Delhi last recorded poor air quality on July 12 and 13, when the AQI stood at 261 and 246, respectively.
• CPCB’s hourly AQI for the city stood at 227 at 7 am, up 48 points from 179 in Tuesday’s 4 pm bulletin.
• It crossed 200, the threshold for the “poor” category, at 2 am and has not dipped in any hour since.
• The air quality remained in the moderate category for most of October, barring brief improvements on October 12 and 16 following rainfall.
• The AQI stood at 187 on October 18, 139 on October 19 and 179 on October 20.
• Data from 56 of Delhi’s 59 air quality monitoring stations showed that two stations — Jahangirpuri and Pusa — recorded very poor air quality, with AQI readings of 308 and 314, respectively.
• At 16 stations, including Anand Vihar, the air quality remained in the moderate category.

Delhi to bar entry of BS-IV and older commercial vehicles from November 1

Commercial goods vehicles conforming to BS-IV or lower emission standards will be barred from entering Delhi from November 1, except those running on CNG or electricity, Gurugram traffic police said.

The restriction will apply to Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs), Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), other trucks and buses, according to an advisory issued by the traffic police.

The exemption will cover CNG and electric vehicles, as well as diesel buses and trucks conforming to BS-VI emission standardsThe restrictions will also apply to vehicles operating under All India Tourist Permits (AITPs) and other service arrangements, while buses registered in Delhi will be exempt, the advisory said.

Gurugram traffic police have urged transporters, drivers and bus operators to verify their vehicles’ emission standards and registration details and ensure compliance with the prescribed rules before entering DelhiThe advisory said the measures were aimed at controlling air pollution and protecting the environment.

(With PTI Inputs)