New Delhi: Delhi has witnessed a maximum number of days with 'good' to 'moderate' air quality during the first four months, the maximum in the corresponding period in six years, barring 2020, the Air Quality Index (AQI) data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stated. According to the Ministry of Environment, this report is compared with the corresponding period of the last seven years since 2016, barring the periods of very low anthropogenic, industrial and commercial activities during the Covid-19 lockdown year 2020.
2023 witnessed 52 ‘good' to 'moderate' air quality days
As per the report, the number of ‘good' to 'moderate' air quality days from January to April in the following years were— 8 in 2016; 29 in 2017; 32 in 2018; 44 in 2019; 68 in 2020; 31 in 2021; 27 in 2022; and 52 in the current year 2023. During this period, Delhi has also experienced the least number of days with ‘poor’ to ‘severe’ air quality in 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of the last seven years since 2016, except 2020, the year of the Covid-19 lockdown.
The number of ‘poor' to 'severe' air quality days first four months’ period has come down by 37.03 per cent. In 2016, the number of such days was 108, however, in the current year 2023, the number of 'poor' to 'severe' air quality days has come down to 68. In terms of daily average particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentration levels in Delhi, the year 2023 has reported the lowest levels of daily average PM2.5 concentration, as compared to the corresponding period for the seven years from 2016 (except 2020).
2023 has lowest levels of daily average PM10 concentration
Moreover, 2023 has also been the year with the lowest levels of daily average PM10 concentration in Delhi, as compared to the corresponding period for the last seven years (except 2020). Delhi has also reported its lowest average AQI in 2023 as compared to the corresponding period for the last seven years i.e. from 2016 (barring 2020).
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
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