Noida's air quality showed no signs of improvement on Monday. The city logged an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 274, which falls squarely in the 'poor' category. This figure was only slightly higher than Sunday's reading of 260, indicating a stagnant situation.
Monitoring Stations Report Consistent Poor Air
Data from the Central Pollution Control Board reveals that all four air monitoring stations in Noida recorded 'poor' air quality. Sector 1 had the worst AQI at 292. Sector 116 followed with 283, Sector 125 with 275, and Sector 62 with 251.
Greater Noida and Ghaziabad Conditions
Greater Noida's AQI was recorded at 258 on Monday, showing a slight improvement from Sunday's 278. Knowledge Park V and Knowledge Park III stations both reported readings in the 'poor' range, at 293 and 228 respectively.
Ghaziabad presented a more concerning picture. The city's overall AQI was 287, up from 283 the previous day. Two stations, Loni and Vasundhara, recorded 'very poor' air quality with AQIs of 349 and 325. Sanjay Nagar and Indirapuram stations remained in the 'poor' category with readings of 263 and 218.
Delhi's Air Quality and Forecast
Delhi's air quality continued to linger at the higher end of the 'poor' category. The AQI was 297 on Monday, compared to 291 a day earlier. However, the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) issued a grim forecast.
The EWS stated that air quality is likely to deteriorate to the 'very poor' range on Tuesday. It predicted that the air quality would remain in the 'very poor' category until January 15 and for six days thereafter.
Meteorological Factors
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, north-westerly winds remained weak throughout the day. Wind speeds were below 10 kmph in the afternoon and eased further to under 5 kmph by evening and night. These calm conditions likely contributed to the accumulation of pollutants.
For Tuesday, the city is expected to witness clear skies with cold wave conditions at a few places. This weather pattern may further exacerbate the air quality situation, trapping pollutants close to the ground.
