Delhi's air quality in moderate category

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The national capital's air quality was recorded in the “moderate” category on Monday morning, and it is likely to remain so for another two days.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said the city air quality index (AQI) will remain in the “moderate” category on Tuesday and Wednesday as high-velocity local winds are preventing accumulation of pollutants.

The city recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 169 at 10 am which falls in the “moderate” category. On Sunday, the 24-hour average AQI was 184.

An AQI between 0 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'.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier said that air quality is likely to deteriorate to the lower end of poor quality on Monday.  

It said an increase in farm fires was observed around Punjab, Haryana and neighbouring border regions on Sunday but "only a marginal impact" is likely on Delhi in the coming days.

Pawan Gupta, a senior scientist at Universities Space Research Association, NASA, said farm fires were observed in more districts of Punjab. Fires in Uttar Pradesh have also started showing up, he said.

Also, there is a marked dip in minimum temperatures recorded in Delhi. On Monday, it settled at 19.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal.

The minimum temperature is likely to drop to 18 degrees Celsius by Wednesday.

Low temperatures and stagnant winds help in accumulation of pollutants near the ground, affecting air quality.