The minimum temperature in the country’s capital Delhi has reached 6.0 degree Celsius, which is two notches below normal. For the last two days, a temperature of around 6 degrees is being recorded in Delhi. According to the Meteorological Department, these days it is getting colder than the hilly areas in Delhi. According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature is expected to remain up to 6 degree Celsius in Delhi for the next three days. While the minimum temperature in Shimla is being recorded higher than Delhi. The morning and evening chill has started increasing in the capital Delhi. On Sunday morning, there was mist and fog in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and other areas of NCR. Along with the drop in temperature, air pollution is also increasing in Delhi.
On the other hand, due to favorable weather conditions, for the first time in eight years, the air of Delhi-NCR did not become stifling on December 17. When the rains broke the record in October, the incidents of stubble burning were also less. Due to their combined effect, pollutants were seen gasping in Delhi-NCR and this winter was the least polluted since 2015. But the situation is bad now. A lot of efforts are needed in NCR to get rid of pollution.
According to the CPCB data, Delhi’s AQI was the highest and Gurugram’s the lowest in 16 days of December. Both the places had 295 and 239 AQI. Meanwhile, Delhi’s air remained in the severe category only on December 12 and Greno’s on December 6 and 12, while Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad recorded above-average air quality. Delhi’s average AQI was 142 in October and November. This is 18 percent less than in 2018 and 38 percent less than in 2016. October-November of 2016 have been the most polluted two months ever. The condition of NCR cities was also better. Delhi was the most polluted in NCR. Gurugram was on the second number and Ghaziabad on the third.
Delhi received 115 mm of rain in October and November, which is the highest in five years. The average wind speed in the 15 days of December was around 13 km per hour. The speed in November was around 12.4 kmph. The wind speed in the year 2021 was 11 and in 2020 it was 11.5 kilometers per hour. At the same time, this year there was a 37 per cent reduction in cases of stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. According to SAFAR data, the duration of stubble burning was 53 days. In the year 2021, this figure was 56 days.
Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the Regional Weather Forecasting Center, said that this time the wind speed was 8-14 kilometers per hour. During the last year it was five and a half kilometers per hour. The situation also improved with the north-westerly wind blowing.
Dipankar Shaha, former additional director of the Central Pollution Control Board, said that the air quality improved due to increase in wind speed and difference in minimum and maximum temperature. Due to this, the dispersion of pollutants easily cleared the air.
Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Center for Science and Environment, said that good rains and incidents of stubble burning have reduced in October. The wind speed was also high. In this way the pollution remained less. Still, a great deal of work is needed.
