Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: The city saw a remarkable improvement in its air quality from poor to moderate levels due to strong winds, prompting CAQM to remove restrictive measures under GRAP-1.
Graded Response Action Plan-I, which is implemented when the air quality turns poor — AQI in the range of 201 to 300, imposes certain preventive measures. It was last imposed in NCR on March 24, when the air quality index reached 206.
The air quality remained poor since Monday, only to improve to moderate on Saturday. AQI, on a scale of 0 to 500, was 153 at 4pm on Saturday against 205 on Friday. The air quality is likely to remain moderate till Tuesday, according to IITM’s air quality early warning system. “The outlook for the subsequent six days reveals that the air quality is likely to be in the moderate category,” stated IITM.
“Delhi’s AQI showed significant improvement due to strong surface winds and improved meteorological conditions prevailing in Delhi-NCR. Further, the forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts AQI to mainly remain in the moderate category in the coming days,” Commission for Air Quality Management stated, adding that considering both, the CAQM sub-committee on GRAP unanimously decided to revoke stage-I in the entire NCR with immediate effect.
Among the measures under GRAP-I are enforcing a complete ban on coal or firewood in tandoors in hotels, restaurants and open eateries; implementing NGT and court orders on overage vehicles and firecracker ban; and ensuring that diesel generator sets are not used as a regular source of power supply.
Meanwhile, both the minimum and maximum temperatures dropped in the city on Saturday, bringing much-needed respite from the sudden sharp rise in temperature when some areas of Delhi even recorded 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
On Saturday, the minimum temperature was 15.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, against 20.9 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The maximum temperature was 29.6 degrees Celsius against 32.3 degrees a day earlier.
The maximum temperature, however, is likely to begin rising sharply after April 1, when the winds dry out, the Met department predicted. While India Meteorological Department didn’t forecast heatwaves for the next six days, the maximum temperature may reach 35-37 degrees Celsius by April 1 and further spike to 37-39 degrees Celsius by April 3. On Sunday, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 31-33 degrees Celsius.
Mayank Rawat
