The air quality across the National Capital Region (NCR) took a severe hit on Tuesday, with multiple cities slipping into the 'very poor' category. Residents woke up to a foggy morning, which later compounded the pollution woes as data revealed a sharp spike in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Sharp Spike in AQI Readings Across NCR
Noida's AQI deteriorated from 260 (poor) on Monday to 314 (very poor) on Tuesday. The situation was similarly grim in its neighboring areas. Greater Noida witnessed an even steeper rise, with the AQI jumping from 236 to 320, firmly placing it in the 'very poor' bracket. Ghaziabad was not far behind, recording an AQI of 322, compared to 262 the previous day.
The capital city, Delhi, mirrored this troubling trend. The city's overall AQI stood at 310 in the 'very poor' category, a significant decline from Monday's reading of 244, which was in the 'poor' range.
Station-Wise Data Highlights Pollution Hotspots
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) provided a granular view of the pollution crisis. In Noida, several monitoring stations reported alarming figures. Sector 116 and Sector 1 both recorded an AQI of 330, while Sector 125 logged 327, all in the 'very poor' zone. Sector 62 was slightly better but still in the 'poor' category with an AQI of 271.
In Greater Noida, Knowledge Park V emerged as a hotspot with an AQI of 344. Knowledge Park III recorded 'poor' air at 295. Ghaziabad's Loni was among the worst affected in the region, registering a 'very poor' AQI of 376, followed by Vasundhara at 357. Sanjay Nagar (AQI 298) and Indirapuram (AQI 258) recorded 'moderate' and 'poor' air quality, respectively.
Weather Conditions and Forecast
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) reported that predominant surface winds were blowing from the northwest at speeds below 15 kmph during the afternoon. However, these winds slowed down to less than 10 kmph during the evening and night, allowing pollutants to accumulate.
The morning hours were marked by reduced visibility, with fog limiting it to below 250 meters. The fog thinned out by the afternoon. For Wednesday, the forecast predicts a mainly clear sky with moderate to dense fog in the morning. Wind patterns are expected to remain calm, with speeds below 10 kmph in the morning, increasing to less than 15 kmph in the afternoon, and decreasing again at night. This stagnant weather condition is likely to hinder any significant dispersion of pollutants.
