Gurgaon: Showers and winds gusting up to 20kmph cleared pollutants suspended in the air, improving the city’s 24-hour average AQI from ‘poor’ (266) on Saturday to ‘moderate’ (150) on Sunday.
The air quality index (AQI) was in the poor zone for 11 straight days before Sunday. The city last recorded ‘moderate’ AQI on April 2, when it was 156, data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.
According to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), wind speed between 18kmph and 20kmph coupled with a bout of rainfall allowed pollutants to disperse, improving AQI.
On Sunday, the air quality monitoring station in Teri Gram logged average AQI at 188 (moderate) and the one at Vikas Sadan, 106, also moderate. Data was not available for Sector 51 and Gwalpahari stations.
Experts said air quality is likely to remain ‘moderate’ till April 17 due to gusty winds. “The predominant surface wind is likely to be blowing from east and southeast directions in Delhi with wind speed 12-25 kmph,” the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said.
“For the next few days, air quality will stay in the lower end of ‘poor’ or ‘moderate’. Thereafter, pollution could start increasing as minimum temperature increases and wind speed changes. This will make dispersion of pollutants slow,” said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The most prominent pollutants in Gurgaon, according to CPCB data on Sunday, were carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM10). These pollutants majorly arise from road dust, construction dust, wheat stubble burning in the summer, industrial emissions, vehicular emissions and open waste burning.
The air quality index (AQI) was in the poor zone for 11 straight days before Sunday. The city last recorded ‘moderate’ AQI on April 2, when it was 156, data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.
According to the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), wind speed between 18kmph and 20kmph coupled with a bout of rainfall allowed pollutants to disperse, improving AQI.
On Sunday, the air quality monitoring station in Teri Gram logged average AQI at 188 (moderate) and the one at Vikas Sadan, 106, also moderate. Data was not available for Sector 51 and Gwalpahari stations.
Experts said air quality is likely to remain ‘moderate’ till April 17 due to gusty winds. “The predominant surface wind is likely to be blowing from east and southeast directions in Delhi with wind speed 12-25 kmph,” the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said.
“For the next few days, air quality will stay in the lower end of ‘poor’ or ‘moderate’. Thereafter, pollution could start increasing as minimum temperature increases and wind speed changes. This will make dispersion of pollutants slow,” said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
The most prominent pollutants in Gurgaon, according to CPCB data on Sunday, were carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM10). These pollutants majorly arise from road dust, construction dust, wheat stubble burning in the summer, industrial emissions, vehicular emissions and open waste burning.
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