Delhi air quality improved after overnight rains on Monday.
Overnight rain on Monday night improved the air quality and gave Delhi some respite from severe air pollution. The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) said that Delhi is expected to witness more spells of light to moderate rain and it will help to bring the pollution levels further down. The MeT department has also predicted moderate to dense fog in the next few days.
Here's a comparison of the air quality from Monday:
The air quality on Monday was 'severe' and on Tuesday it improved to 'moderate to poor'. Monday's air quality index in Delhi-NCR was recorded to be 248 at 6 pm. Tuesday, however, saw improvement in the air quality and was recorded to be 113 at 7 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Photo Credit: Central Pollution Control Board
On Monday, some parts of the capital city witnessed a drizzle around 5.30 pm for a few minutes.
Major pollutant PM 2.5, or pollution particles in air with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers, across 22 areas of Delhi-NCR dropped from 249 units at 5 pm (before the drizzle) to 248 units at 6 pm (after the drizzle).
In the Delhi-NCR, the PM 2.5 value was 248 units at 6 pm on Monday. On Tuesday, it dipped to 113 at 7 pm after overnight rain on Monday.
Photo Credit: Central Pollution Control Board
On Monday, the Air Quality Index in Ghaziabad (463) and Noida (408) was "severe", according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
On Tuesday, however, Air Quality Index in Ghaziabad was 153 and in Noida, it was recorded to be 150 at 7 pm.
Photo Credit: Central Pollution Control Board
The air quality was described as "severe plus" at Anand Vihar (PM2.5 reading 431) in east Delhi on Monday, but after showers, the PM 2.5 was 124 at 7 pm on Tuesday.
At Delhi Technical University PM2.5 was 428 in north Delhi, but post showers, the reading showed PM 2.5 as 145 on Tuesday at 7 pm.
On Mathura Road (403 units as per SAFAR) in south Delhi and on Tuesday it was 93, as per Central Pollution Control Board.
Photo Credit: Central Pollution Control Board
At RK Puram in south Delhi PM2.5 recorded at 270 on Monday, but the next day, the concentration was 90.
Photo Credit: Central Pollution Control Board
At Mandir Marg in central Delhi, the air quality was severe with PM2.5 recorded as 261 units and on Tuesday 7 pm, it showed PM 2.5 as 92, as per Central Pollution Control Board.
The safe limit for PM2.5, according to international standards, is 25 microgrammes per cubic metre and 60 as per national standards.
Satellite images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration showed sporadic incidents of large fires in the Delhi region and across Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
(With Inputs from IANS)