Delhi`s air quality remains in `very poor` category, AQI at 302

NEW DELHI: Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category, with overall AQI recorded at 302 as per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR)-India. 

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 212 for PM10 and 122 for PM2.5 on Sunday. The air quality in the national capital had remained in the ‘poor’ category on Thursday. According to the SAFAR, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the national capital at 262 on Thursday.

The national capital had recorded an AQI of 237 on Wednesday. As per the government data, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered `good`, 51 and 100 `satisfactory`, 101 and 200 `moderate`, 201 and 300 `poor`, 301 and 400 `very poor`, and 401 and 500 `severe`. 

SAFAR, in its daily bulletin, has advised people belonging to sensitive groups to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion; take more breaks and do less intense activities. Asthmatics are advised to keep medicine ready if symptoms of coughing or shortness of breath occur. 

Heart patients can visit a doctor if get palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue occurs, it said. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Northwest India including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh will witness rainfall during February 2-4, 

"Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh during February 2 to 4," it said.

The IMD also forecast an isolated hailstorm over Punjab, Haryana and northwest Uttar Pradesh on February 3. The rainfall is likely to occur due to interaction between mid-tropospheric southwesterlies associated with the Western Disturbance and lower level southeasterlies from the Bay of Bengal.

As per the IMD, an active Western Disturbance is very likely to affect northwest India from February 2. "An induced cyclonic circulation is likely to form over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood on February 3. In addition, moisture feeding from the Arabian Sea to northwest India at lower and middle tropospheric levels is also very likely on February 2 and 3," the weather agency said.

Apart from this, another Western Disturbance is likely to affect Western Himalayan Region from February 6. The IMD said that light isolated rainfall and snowfall is likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan Muzaffarabad during the next three days.

Due to the Western Disturbance, surface winds (speed 15-25 kmph) are likely to blow over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh during the next two days. The national capital witnessed a clear sky on Sunday with the minimum temperature being recorded at 7 degree Celsius and maximum at 22 degree Celsius.