Air worsens further, fog affects flight operations

Delhi’s average air quality index (AQI) worsened further into deep red on Saturday, reaching 450 at 4pm, before it began improving, with officials saying some respite may be around the corner.

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Authorities reviewed the situation and decided to hold back on lifting curbs on the use of old cars and private construction work, but acknowledged pollution levels were expected to improve beginning Sunday.

“The sub-committee, while comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario and relevant aspects, noted that GRAP stage-III has just been invoked in the evening of December 22 and it’s only reasonable to await the impact of the intensified preventive/restrictive actions, on the average AQI. Further, the forecasts also indicate a gradual improvement in Delhi’s average AQI by late evening hours onwards,” said a statement from Commission for Air Quality Monitoring (CAQM).

By 10PM, the AQI had improved to 430, though still well in the severe category.

Saturday began with dense fog in some areas, with visibility dropping to as low as 200 metres near Safdarjung. The India Meteorological Department predicted morning foggy spells to continue for the next two days.

“The air quality is likely to remain in Severe category on December 24 and may improve and reach ‘very poor’ category on December 25 and remain in Very Poor category on December 26. The air quality is likely to deteriorate again from December 27 as meteorological conditions are extremely unfavourable,” the AQI forecast cited by CAQM stated.

According to officials, the fog led to 16 flights, 11 international and five domestic, to be delayed on Saturday morning, though no plane had to be diverted.