Home / Environment / Delhi Breathes Easier: Light Rain Offers Temporary Relief
Delhi Breathes Easier: Light Rain Offers Temporary Relief
15 Nov
Summary
- Delhi's air quality improved to 'poor' after days of severe pollution.
- Biomass burning is the largest contributor to the city's pollution.
- Light rain and better wind speeds aided the temporary air quality improvement.
New Delhi's air quality improved to the 'poor' category on Sunday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 290, offering a slight respite after days of heavy pollution following Diwali. Many monitoring stations still reported 'poor' or 'very poor' air quality, with NSIT Dwarka registering the highest AQI at 364.
Biomass burning, encompassing activities like stubble and domestic fuel burning, emerged as the primary pollutant, contributing 37.1%. Secondary organic aerosols and vehicular emissions followed as significant contributors. Weather experts attributed the temporary improvement to increased wind speeds and light rainfall in the preceding 24 hours.
The Air Quality Early Warning System forecasts a return to 'very poor' air quality from November 17 to 18 and for the subsequent six days. A declining ventilation index, coupled with moderate wind speeds, is expected to hinder pollutant dispersion.
