New Delhi: The last four months of this year have been the best for Delhi’s air quality in the past eight years. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said that the air quality in January and April was the cleanest compared to last year, excluding the 2020 COVID lockdown.
The CAQM reported 52 days of ‘fair to moderate air quality in the first four months of this year, using data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). During January-April 2022, the number of days with ‘good to moderate air quality was 27, 31 in 2021, 68 in 2020, 44 in 2019, 32 in 2018, 29 in 2017, and eight in 2016. The analysis found a considerable year-on-year improvement in days with ‘good to moderate weather. The official pollution watchdog also observed a decrease in ‘poor to severe’ air quality days.
The official statement reads, “The number of ‘Poor to Severe’ Air Quality Days for the first four months’ period (i.e. January to April) has come down by 37.03 per cent i.e. from 108 in the year 2016 to 68 in the current year 2023.”
It continued, “In terms of daily average PM2.5 concentration levels in Delhi, 2023 has been the year with the lowest levels of daily average PM2.5 concentration, as compared to the corresponding period for the last 7 years, i.e. from 2016 (barring 2020 – the year of Covid lockdown). Moreover, 2023 has also been the year with the lowest levels of daily average PM10 concentration in Delhi, as compared to the corresponding period for the last 7 years, i.e. from 2016 (barring 2020 – the year of Covid lockdown).”
