SAFAR advises people to stop outdoor activities in morning, evening
Pollution levels in the national Capital dropped to ‘very poor’ category on Thursday evening and is likely to worsen in the coming two days, Government agencies said.
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) have been recorded at 302, which is in the “very poor” category. An AQI between 0 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”.
Though the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other agencies had predicted an improvement in air quality for Thursday, the AQI turned out to be worse than Wednesday. Delhi’s AQI was in “poor” category on Thursday morning at 254 and it deteriorated to “very poor” at 302 by evening.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), advised people to stop outdoor activity early morning and after sunset and avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
According to SAFAR, Delhi’s air quality will remain very poor till October 24. The pollution monitoring agency recommended for short walk instead of a jog and suggested to take more breaks during walk. It also exhorted people to use masks N-95 or P-100.
SAFAR said, “A significant increase in stubble fire count observed around Haryana, Punjab, and neighbouring regions. Stubble fire counts stood at 1,428 on Wednesday the highest of this season.”
Additional Director General of IMD Anand Sharma said, “Air quality will deteriorate in the coming two days till October 24. There are factors other than farm fires which are worsening the air quality, such as vehicular pollution and waste burning. PM 2.5 will increase and PM 10, which is now in ‘poor’ category, will be ‘very poor’ by October 24.”
Values of Suspended Particulate Matters (SPMs) on Index for PM2.5 and PM 10 were 265 and 125 which may shoot up to 306 and 147 for Friday, as per SAFAR forecast.
After three days, Delhi may get slight relief from noxious air quality as marginal dip noted in pollutants values.