AQI at 44: Delhi breathes cleanest air in two years
While incessant showers have disrupted daily life in Delhi, they brought some respite as the national capital breathed the cleanest air—in two years—when the average air quality index (AQI) was 44 on Monday. It also saw two back-to-back "good air days" for the first time since 2019. The best AQI (41) was last recorded on August 31, 2020, per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Why does this story matter?
Delhi, along with several other parts of the country, has been witnessing unprecedented rains for many weeks. The rainfall recorded in Delhi this month so far stands at 121.7mm, the second-highest level for the month of October in the last 16 years. The temperature has also dropped significantly, as Delhi's maximum temperature recorded on Monday was 10 notches below normal at 23.6 degrees Celsius.
AQI on Monday was third-best ever recorded
Delhi's AQI of 44 on Monday was also the third-best reading since the installation of the AQI measurement system there in 2015. An AQI of 48—under the "good" category—was recorded in Delhi on Sunday. Notably, on September 16, it witnessed an AQI of 47. On Monday, its satellite cities recorded progressively good air quality: Noida (49), Gurugram (29), Greater Noida (26), and Ghaziabad (19).
The improved AQI stoked up residents
What is the scale of AQI?
To recall, Delhi saw the worst air quality in five years, a day after Diwali last year, when the 24-hour average AQI reached 462. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good," 51 and 100 "satisfactory," 101 and 200 "moderate," 201 and 300 "poor," 301 and 400 "very poor," and 401 and 500 "severe."
Rainfall recorded this month 4 times above average
This year so far, Delhi recorded 128 days of bad air quality (poor, very poor, and severe)—the highest since 2017, when 130 such days were registered. Moreover, the rainfall in Delhi so far in October (121.7mm) is four times above the average of 28mm and three times compared to 41.6mm recorded in August, which was said to be the wettest month of the monsoon.
11 dead in UP in rain-related incidents
Meanwhile, nonstop rains over the last few days have thrown life out of gear in many regions of India. Heavy downpours were reported from parts of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. At least 11 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in UP, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru and other areas of Karnataka for two days.
