NEW DELHI: The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi improved significantly after the G20 Summit-induced traffic restrictions came into effect in the national capital from Thursday midnight. Cloudy skies and light rains on Friday and Saturday have also led to improvement in the city’s AQI. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the average of the past 24 hours AQI of Delhi recorded on September 9 was 54 index value which comes under the ‘satisfactory’ category and was much better than the previous day. The major pollutants identified were CO and PM10.
Source: Central Pollution Control Board; Indian Meteorological DepartmentA day earlier, Delhi’s AQI was 88 (which also came in the bracket of satisfactory). The Environment Monitoring and Research Centre, Indian Meteorological Department, said that the air quality of Delhi is likely to remain in satisfactory category from September 10 to September 12.
The AQI of NCR cities have also improved. On September 9, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad recorded an AQI (average of past 24 hours) as 64 (satisfactory), 85 (satisfactory), 40 (good) and 88 (satisfactory) respectively, as per the data.
However, the data for September 8, for Noida was 88 (satisfactory), for Gurugram was 118 (moderate), for Ghaziabad was 79 (satisfactory) and Faridabad was 91 (satisfactory).
The government has constituted 11 special teams, composed of District Magistrates, MCD Deputy Commissioners and probationary IAS officers, to make sure that the city’s air quality remains good during the international summit.
According to the MCD, they have deployed techniques such as use of water sprinklers to keep air dust under control. As the traffic restrictions have been in effect from September 8 till September 10, it is speculated that it will cut down emissions. According to a notice from Delhi administration, heavy, medium and light vehicles are not allowed to enter Delhi from Thursday night.
