Delhi's Air Quality Sees Slight Improvement, Remains 'Poor'

Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement on Saturday morning after nearly four days of severe pollution, although it still falls in the 'poor' category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 230 from Friday's 270, thanks to a sudden shift in wind direction and speed, as reported by the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS).

Despite this temporary relief, weather experts warn that pollution levels are expected to rise again in the coming days, with the AQI potentially reaching 400 by October 31.

In anticipation of worsening air quality post-Diwali, the Delhi government has activated stage two of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes restrictions on the use of coal, firewood, and diesel generators across the Delhi-NCR region. Authorities are implementing daily mechanical road sweeping and water sprinkling, and residents are urged to rely on public transportation to reduce personal vehicle use.

On Friday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai highlighted the introduction of drone technology to identify pollution hotspots and discussed the newly released 21-point Winter Action Plan aimed at addressing various pollution sources, including dust and vehicle emissions.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi announced the formation of 372 surveillance teams to monitor pollution levels, the deployment of 57,000 sanitation workers for manual road sweeping, and the installation of 30 anti-smog guns in highly polluted areas, as identified by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).