The air quality in Delhi has started falling again after a relatively cleaner phase even as the Delhi government, in its latest data, claimed reduction of vehicular traffic has resulted in less pollution.
Pollutants (PM 2.5, PM 10) at 12 of the 17 locations monitored yesterday showed recordings of less than 200 micrograms per cubic metre, the government claimed, adding that the volume was around 50 per cent less than the average figures since the odd-even regulations were enforced.
However, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) claimed that air pollutant concentrations have started to increase again after a dip over the last weekend due to "combination of emission and meteorological factors".
According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the lowest measurement was 89 ug/m3 at Tri Nagar's Phool Bagh while the highest was 268 ug/m3 at Bijwasan "indicating a clear dip in even peak recordings".
Twenty-hour average of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were 173 and 279 today, as per readings of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), that fall in the 'very poor category'.
Real time PM 2.5 readings of static DPCC stations in Anand Vihar, Mandir Marg, Punjabi Bagh and R K Puram were 415, 72, 95 and 153 ug/m3. The safe limit is 60 while that of PM 10 is 100.
According to DPCC scientists, sunny weather conditions also prevented any sharp rise in the level of pollutants although a positive wind speed had added to the positive air quality of last weekend.
