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GURUGRAM: Weather conditions and local emissions – specifically, not farm fires – ended a more than two-week long hiatus from high levels of pollution once again – pushing the city’s air quality back to ‘very poor’.
Sunday’s average air quality index (AQI) touched 310, after 16 days of hovering between 200 and 300, also ‘poor’ but relatively clean. The last time Gurugram recorded ‘very bad’ AQI was on November 11, when it was 324.
Meteorologists said a series of weather conditions, including low winter temperatures, allowed pollutants to remain suspended in the atmosphere. These include low wind speeds of only up to 3kmph and high humidity of 55%.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the share of PM2.5 pollutant farm fires in Delhi-NCR was negligible on Sunday, at 2%.
Generally, burning of crop residues on farms in Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan contributes heavily to pollutants that are carried to Delhi-NCR by northwesterly winds. These, along with other emissions and cold weather, blanket the region with toxic smog every winter.
SAFAR also estimated that weather conditions are unlikely to change in the next few days. “The AQI is likely to be ‘very poor’ for the next three days due to transport, local emissions and dispersion and ventilation efficiency,” it said.
Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials also said that air quality is expected to remain ‘very poor’.
Experts on Sunday reiterated the need to reduce local sources of air pollution in Gurugram.
“Now that straw burning emissions are not affecting the overall AQI, it is time to realize that local factors are responsible for year-round pollution. It is therefore important to take all factors into account and address these sources to mitigate air pollution AQI may remain ‘very poor’ in December as temperatures may drop in the coming days,” said Subhash Tiwari, research associate at the Amity Center for Air Pollution Control.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius and it is expected to remain in the same range for the next five days, according to the IMD.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Sunday with a reading of 328. Experts say that the weather is very unfavorable for the dispersion of pollution. Air quality is forecast to remain in the ‘very poor’ category for the next six days.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The maximum temperature is fixed at 27.5 degrees Celsius.
Sunday’s average air quality index (AQI) touched 310, after 16 days of hovering between 200 and 300, also ‘poor’ but relatively clean. The last time Gurugram recorded ‘very bad’ AQI was on November 11, when it was 324.
Meteorologists said a series of weather conditions, including low winter temperatures, allowed pollutants to remain suspended in the atmosphere. These include low wind speeds of only up to 3kmph and high humidity of 55%.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the share of PM2.5 pollutant farm fires in Delhi-NCR was negligible on Sunday, at 2%.
Generally, burning of crop residues on farms in Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan contributes heavily to pollutants that are carried to Delhi-NCR by northwesterly winds. These, along with other emissions and cold weather, blanket the region with toxic smog every winter.
SAFAR also estimated that weather conditions are unlikely to change in the next few days. “The AQI is likely to be ‘very poor’ for the next three days due to transport, local emissions and dispersion and ventilation efficiency,” it said.
Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials also said that air quality is expected to remain ‘very poor’.
Experts on Sunday reiterated the need to reduce local sources of air pollution in Gurugram.
“Now that straw burning emissions are not affecting the overall AQI, it is time to realize that local factors are responsible for year-round pollution. It is therefore important to take all factors into account and address these sources to mitigate air pollution AQI may remain ‘very poor’ in December as temperatures may drop in the coming days,” said Subhash Tiwari, research associate at the Amity Center for Air Pollution Control.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius and it is expected to remain in the same range for the next five days, according to the IMD.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the second consecutive day on Sunday with a reading of 328. Experts say that the weather is very unfavorable for the dispersion of pollution. Air quality is forecast to remain in the ‘very poor’ category for the next six days.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The maximum temperature is fixed at 27.5 degrees Celsius.
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