NEW DELHI: Delhi’s air quality slipped into the ‘poor’ category on Sunday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 261 — the highest level recorded in more than 85 days. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded a maximum temperature of 36.8 degrees Celsius, which was 1.3 degrees above normal, according to news agency PTI. The feels-like temperature touched 45.7 degrees Celsius at 5.30 pm. The AQI was significantly higher than Saturday’s reading of 140. The last time Delhi’s AQI crossed this level was on April 17, when it stood at 263. Air quality had largely remained in the ‘moderate’ and ‘satisfactory’ categories for most of the month. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) attributed the deterioration in Delhi-NCR’s air quality to long-range transnational winds carrying mineral dust generated by storm activity in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. According to the commission, the dust moved towards northwestern India, including Delhi, leading to elevated PM10 concentrations. According to news agency PTI, the CAQM further said that strong winds across the Indo-Gangetic Plain had also contributed to the rise in AQI levels. It noted that Delhi’s air quality was in the ‘poor’ category on Sunday and was likely to remain in the same range over the next few days. The commission added that air quality is expected to improve once the transnational dust spell subsides. In view of the situation, the CAQM decided not to invoke GRAP Stage-I restrictions, stating that the current deterioration was primarily due to transnational dust transport. However, it directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to intensify dust-control measures across the city. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), an AQI between 0 and 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’. The IMD said Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 36.6 degrees Celsius, while Lodhi Road registered 37 degrees Celsius, Ridge 36 degrees Celsius and Ayanagar 36.2 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung was recorded at 28.3 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. Minimum temperatures stood at 27.1 degrees Celsius in Palam, 27.2 degrees Celsius in Lodhi Road, 25.6 degrees Celsius in Ridge and 27.4 degrees Celsius in Ayanagar. For Monday, the weather department has forecast strong surface winds during the daytime, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to settle around 37 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. Relative humidity ranged between 64 per cent at 8.30 am and 52 per cent at 5.30 pm, according to IMD data.
