Rajeev Choudhury

The air quality situation in Delhi has improved substantially over the past 24 hours data from the Central Pollution control board suggest.

The data from 37 of the 39 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi suggest that the average air quality index (AQI) value at 9 a.m. on November 23, 2021, was 275.

However, the air quality remained in the 'Poor' category despite the improvement in the situation.

While the AQI at Aya Nagar monitoring station was 219, at Jahangirpuri monitoring station the AQI was 325 at 9 a.m.

AQI in only five of the 37 monitoring stations remained over 300 at 9 a.m. the data reveals.

PM2.5 remained the primary polluting agent throughout the city; the average PM2.5 load at 9 a.m. was 18 times the permissible load as recommended by the World Health organisation.

The main reason behind the improvement was the wind blowing from the north-westerly direction the data reveal.

The city government enforced a number of restrictions and took steps like hiring 1000 buses from private operators in its bid to reduce air pollution load after courts’ prodding.