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Last updated: Jul 01, 2023 at 00:19 AM IST
The ministry added that this improvement indicates a significant decrease in air pollutants with lower levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other harmful emissions. (File image / News18)
The ministry said that favorable meteorological conditions and continuous efforts at the ground level to prevent, control and reduce air pollution in the region led to the improvement of air quality this year.
The environment ministry said on Friday that Delhi has recorded the highest number of ‘good to moderate’ air quality days this year since 2016, excluding the impact of Covid-19 in 2020. “The number of days of ‘good to moderate’ air quality for the first half of the year (from January to June) 30 days in 2016; 57 in 2017; 65 in 2018; 78 days in 2019; 126 in 2020; and 84 days in 2021. The ministry said in a statement that 54 in 2022 and 101 in the current year 2023.
During this period, the city also had the fewest days with ‘bad to severe’ air quality in 2023, compared to the equivalent period of the past seven years since 2016 (excluding 2020 – the year of the coronavirus shutdown). “The number of air quality days from ‘weak to severe’ for the first half of the year (January to June) gradually decreased from 147 in 2016 to 80 in 2023,” it added.
The ministry said that favorable meteorological conditions and continuous efforts at the ground level to prevent, control and reduce air pollution in the region led to the improvement of air quality this year.
The ministry added that continuous strict monitoring and enforcement measures through various concerned agencies lead to better implementation of air pollution control measures. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi during this period also remained in the “moderate” category, i.e. below 200. Delhi reported the lowest average AQI during the current year (January-June) compared to the corresponding period of the years, the statement added. Seven from 2016 (excluding 2020).
The ministry added that this improvement indicates a significant decrease in air pollutants with lower levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other harmful emissions. “The average daily concentration of PM 2.5 in Delhi for 2023 is 91 μg/m3 (m3) compared to 102 in 2022, 106 in 2021, 107 in 2019, 113 in 2018, 114 in 2017 and 137 in 2016. The average concentration of PM10 in 2023 was recorded as 202 μg/m3 against 239 in 2022, 226 in 2021, 236 in 2019, 256 in 2018, and 262 in 2017. And 292 in 2016,” the Committee on Air Quality Management (CAQM) said.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi recorded the highest number of rainy days in the last 13 years in 2023. In June, the city recorded 102 mm of rain, the highest since 2017, it said.
(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
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