Residents of Noida woke up to another day of hazardous air and severely reduced visibility as the city's air quality index (AQI) remained firmly in the 'severe' category. A thick blanket of toxic fog continued to shroud the Delhi-NCR region, posing significant health and travel risks.
Air Quality and Temperature Readings
The overall AQI for Noida was recorded at 401, showing a marginal improvement from the previous day's 410 but still deep in the severe zone. Neighbouring areas showed a mixed trend. Greater Noida saw its AQI improve to 344 from 376, while Ghaziabad's reading slightly worsened to 361 from 358. Both cities, however, stayed within the 'very poor' category.
The day was marked by a sharp contrast in temperatures. The minimum temperature settled at a chilly 6.1 degrees Celsius, while the maximum reached a relatively milder 22.2 degrees Celsius.
Visibility Crisis and Station-Wise Breakdown
The combination of dense fog and high pollution levels created a visibility crisis during the morning hours. Visibility plummeted to a dangerous range of 0 to 100 metres, disrupting road and air traffic and making commuting perilous.
A closer look at data from individual monitoring stations paints a grim picture of the pollution spread:
- Noida: Sector 1 recorded a severe AQI of 439, while Sector 125 registered 407. Sector 116 was at 400, and Sector 62 recorded 357.
- Greater Noida: Knowledge Park V reported an AQI of 366, and Knowledge Park III recorded 323.
- Ghaziabad: Vasundhara entered the severe zone with an AQI of 404. Indirapuram (365), Sanjay Nagar (339), and Loni (336) were in the very poor category.
In the national capital, Delhi's AQI was 398 at 4 PM but crossed into the severe threshold by 5 PM, reaching 401. It further deteriorated to 407 by 8 PM.
Wind Patterns and IMD's Cold Wave Warning
According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the predominant surface wind on Saturday blew from the southeast direction with speeds up to 10 kmph during the afternoon and remained consistent through the evening and night. A shift is expected on Sunday, with winds likely to come from the northwest at lower speeds of up to 5 kmph during the morning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold wave conditions in parts of the city in the coming days, indicating that the combination of low temperatures and poor air quality is set to persist, exacerbating health concerns for the public.
The persistent severe pollution levels underscore the ongoing environmental challenge in the National Capital Region, urging authorities and citizens to take stringent measures for immediate relief and long-term solutions.
