Delhi-NCR air quality will only improve after Saturday

New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) Twenty-four hours after Diwali celebrations, Air quality continued to be in 'severe' category in the National Capital Region, with the combined impact of crackers, farm fires and meteorological factors.

According to the SAFAR, at 6 p.m. in Delhi, PM2.5 was 435 micrograms per cubic meter. By Saturday morning, its magnitude may decline but values will remain at the edge of very poor and severe, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said.

The contribution of biomass burning in PM2.5 concentration is likely to increase to approximately 25 per cent on November 6 as winds are favourable for transportation of pollutants, according to the Air quality Forecast bulletin of India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The air quality is likely to improve further on November 6 and November 7 owing to strong winds and remain in 'Very Poor' category. The contribution of biomass burning is also likely to increase as winds will be westerly from Friday onwards. The Outlook for subsequent 5 Days: The air quality is likely to start improving marginally from November 6 owing to strong winds. PM2.5 is likely to be the predominant pollutant.

The predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from West-Northwest directions of Delhi with wind speed of 10-20 kmph, partly cloudy sky, mist/shallow fog in the morning and strong surface winds (speed 25-35 kmph) during the day on November 6 and November 7.

At 6 p.m. AQI at Ashok Vihar was 472, Chandani chowk 443, Dwarka 464, Mandir Marg 469, IGI Airport 450, Lodhi Road 467 and north campus DU 466, Shri Aurobindo Marg 466, Punjabi Bagh 475, according to the CPCB.

At 9 a.m. AQI was -- Satyawati college (315), Sonia Vihar water Treatment Plant DJB (330), Pusa, Delhi (279), New delhi US Embassy (292), Sanjay Nagar, Ghaziabad (394), Sector 116, Noida (395), Knowledge Park-V, Greater Noida (358), according to data from world quality index project, a non-profit.

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", then 401 And between 500 is considered "severe".