The air quality of Delhi stayed in the ‘poor’ category on Monday. There is, however, a prediction of light rainfall on Tuesday, according to government-run monitoring agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
SAFAR on Monday said that the air quality is expected to deteriorate during the next 24 hours due to slowing down of surface winds here. It, however, said that the condition can improve if the city gets sufficient rainfall on Tuesday.
On Monday, the average level of PM 2.5 — deadly respirable particles, which is a chief pollutant — was 110 ug/m3, with the safe limit being 60ug/m3, as per Indian standards, in Delhi and NCR at 8 p.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board. The level is, however, more than four times the safe limit (25 ug/m3) set by the World Health Organization.
The contribution of stubble burning in neighbouring States to the Capital’s pollution was 8% on Monday, a little more than 6% on Sunday. Though the fire counts, SAFAR said, was 463, which was sufficiently high, its contribution to Delhi’s air quality is marginal due to very high upper air transport level winds.
