Capital’s air quality in ‘moderate’ category

New Delhi: The city’s air quality, after remaining for six consecutive days in the “severe” category, has improved to the “moderate” category  on Monday.

The concentration of harmful particles in Delhi’s air has reduced  on Monday with the average value of Particulate Matter (PM) 10 being recorded at 188 microgramme per cubic metre (ug/m3) and PM 2.5 at 63 ug/m3, both in the “moderate” category.

The presence of moisture in the air is the reason for improvement in the city’s air quality, said System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), under Union ministry of earth sciences. The weather office has also forecast the possibility of rain and thunderstorm in the national capital.

The pollution level had spiked to an alarming “severe” category on Tuesday due to dust storms in western India, particularly Rajasthan, which increased coarser particles in the air.

According to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the PM 10 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 10 mm) was recorded at 191 in Delhi-NCR and 187 in Delhi on Monday.

Anand Vihar, which generally has a very high level of pollution, registered a PM 10 grade of 269 and PM 2.5 level of 100, which falls in the “poor” category.  

“The air quality might come down to even satisfactory level due to rain and thunderstorm,” G. Beig, project director, SAFAR said. The sudden rise in the air pollution level has brought to light that severe pollution could be a ‘summer-time problem’ too, according to scientists.