AQI continues to be in ‘severe’ catogory; will GRAP-III be implemented?

New Delhi, Jan 25 : For the second consecutive day on Thursday, the air quality in Delhi continued to be in ‘severe’ levels at several stations across the national capital, owing to unfavourable meteorological and climate conditions.

However, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) is yet to take a decision on implementing Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP-III) in the Delhi-NCR.

The air quality at Anand Vihar plummeted in the severe category with PM2.5 at 423 and PM10 at 436 while the NO2 reached 179 or ‘moderate’ and CO at 60 or ‘satisfactory’, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 4 p.m.

The AQI at ITO also remained in ‘severe’ category with PM2.5 reaching at 431 and PM10 at 356, or very poor.The CO was recorded at 108 and Ozone was at 102, both in moderate levels.

The PM2.5 at Punjabi Bagh also reached 425 while PM10 was at 420, both in the ‘severe’ category.The air quality at Jahangirpuri air quality monitoring station also entered into ‘very poor’ category with PM2.5 at 369 and PM10 359.

The PM2.5 at Okhla Phase-II was recorded at 419 and PM10 at 416 -- both in the ‘severe’ category.The NO2 was at 159, in the moderate levels.

At Mundka, the AQI remained in the ‘severe’ category with PM2.5 at 402 and PM10 at 357 or ‘very poor’, while the CO was at 54 or satisfactory.

The 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.

The AQI monitoring station at Dwarka sector 8 recorded PM2.5 at 399 and PM10 at 363 -- both in thevery poor category.

The AQI at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport station plummeted with PM2.5 at 350 or ‘very poor’ and PM10 at 258 or ‘poor’

ssh/uk