The air quality in Noida showed a marginal improvement on Sunday, shifting back to the 'poor' category after a severe deterioration to 'very poor' levels on Saturday. However, residents continued to grapple with hazy conditions, as visibility remained poor during the morning hours, dropping to as low as 600 meters in the city.
AQI Readings Across Key Cities
According to the latest data, Noida logged an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 252 on Sunday, a notable improvement from Saturday's alarming reading of 324. In neighbouring Ghaziabad, the AQI shifted to 243 from 313, while Greater Noida saw a significant drop to 200, placing it at the far end of the 'moderate' range compared to 328 the previous day. Delhi also experienced a slight relief, with the AQI standing at 265 against 315 on Saturday.
Station-Wise Pollution Data in Noida
The Central Pollution Control Board portal revealed that all four air monitoring stations in Noida recorded 'poor' air quality on Sunday. Sector 1 recorded the worst AQI at 281, followed by Sector 125 (AQI 267), Sector 116 (AQI 253), and Sector 62 (AQI 208). In Greater Noida, Knowledge Park-III registered an AQI of 200, remaining in the 'moderate' category, while data from Knowledge Park-V was unavailable.
Ghaziabad's Air Quality Breakdown
In Ghaziabad, Indirapuram recorded the highest pollution levels with an AQI of 287, followed by Vasundhara (AQI 278) and Loni (AQI 257) – all three falling under the 'poor' category. Sanjay Nagar emerged as the least polluted area in the city, with an AQI of 149 in the 'moderate' range.
Weather Conditions and Forecast
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), surface winds on Sunday originated from the south-east direction, reaching speeds of up to 12 kmph during the afternoon hours. However, the wind speed decreased to less than 6 kmph in the evening and night, contributing to the accumulation of pollutants. For Monday, the city is expected to witness a generally cloudy sky with shallow fog in many areas and moderate fog in isolated places during the morning hours.
Despite the slight improvement, the persistent 'poor' air quality underscores the ongoing challenges in managing pollution levels in the National Capital Region. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions, especially during morning hours when visibility is low and pollutant concentrations remain high.
