AQI in Delhi 'satisfactory', heavy rains likely on Wednesday: Reports

Even as Monday witnessed a sultry weather in the national capital, the rain from the previous day washed off much of the pollutants in the environment resulting in an overall 'satisfactory' quality.

Even as Monday witnessed a sultry weather in the national capital, the rain from the previous day washed off much of the pollutants in the environment resulting in an overall 'satisfactory' air quality.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for Monday predicted generally cloudy sky with light rain. It has forecast moderate rain for Tuesday and heavy rain for Wednesday.

Not just Delhi, the IMD has predicted isolated rainfall activity over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during next 24 hours and scattered to widespread rain with isolated thunderstorm/lightning over the region between July 5 and 8.

On Sunday, few places in Delhi such as Pitampura, Delhi University and Ridge (north Delhi) registered a rainfall above 20 mm while in rest of the areas, it was either 'traces' or fairly negligible rainfall.

"AQI today indicates 'satisfactory' air quality with dust (particle size more than 2.5 micrometer) contribution at approximately 57 per cent to PM10. For the next three days, i.e., till July 7, peak wind speed is likely to be about 15-20 kmph causing moderate dispersion and AQI is likely to be within asatisfactory' due to expected light rain spells," the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, said.

Moderate temperature ranging around 35-36 degrees Celsius and mixing layer height maintains moderate ventilation, it said.

It also pointed out that currently there is negligible impact of stubble burning and external dust intrusion.

An air quality index between 0 to 50 is considered 'good'; 51 and 100 'satisfactory'; 101 and 200 'moderate'; 201 and 300 'poor'; 301 and 400 'very poor' and an AQI over 401 is considered 'severe'. While most of the stations in central and south Delhi showed asatisfactory' AQI, those along the border nearer to Haryana showed amoderatea¿ AQI taking the overall air quality to asatisfactory'.

At 2.00 p.m, the AQI at Anand Vihar in east Delhi was 125, Ashok Vihar in north Delhi was 121, Jahangirpuri in northeast Delhi 128, Dwarka sec 8 in west Delhi 117, Pusa in west Delhi 111, Lodhi Road in central Delhi 86, IGI Airport in southwest Delhi 108, R K Puram in south Delhi 81, 'Aurobindo Marg in south Delhi 67, and Siri Fort in south Delhi 85, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

--IANS

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