The air quality in Delhi tagged under the ‘very poor’ category on the National Ambient Air Quality Index (NAAQI) on Wednesday as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded 362 micrograms per cubic.
According to SAFAR, (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), a unit of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the AQI on Wednesday indicated a ‘very poor’ category. It is likely to improve in the future but will remain the same for the next two days as transport level winds are coming from the east direction, preventing intrusion of pollutants from the upwind region. “Local surface winds are low and mixing layer height is about one km resulting in poor ventilation of near surface pollutants,” SAFAR said.
In its short range air quality weather forecast, it said, “From November 20 onwards surface winds are likely to be strong resulting in effective dispersion that improves air quality. The effective farm fire count is 2,643 and its contribution to Delhi’s PM2.5 today is six per cent.”
Meanwhile, SAFAR also advised people to stay indoors and avoid outdoor activities. “Avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Go for a short walk instead of a jog and take more breaks. Stop any activity level if you experience any unusual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or fatigue. If the room has windows, close them. If the air conditioner provides a fresh air intake option, keep that closed. Avoid burning of wood, candles or incense. Keep the room clean – don’t vacuum. Do wet mopping to reduce dust. Masks known as N-95 or P-100 respirators may only help if you go out,” it added in its health advisory.
Values of both the harmful pollutants – Particulate Matters (PM) 10 and 2.5 were recorded 316 and 200 micrograms per cubic on the NAAQI.