New Delhi: Delhi registered the highest number of ‘good to moderate’ air quality days this year since 2016, barring COVID-19 affected 2020, the environment ministry said on Friday. “The number of ‘Good to Moderate’ Air Quality Days for the first half-year period (January to June) was 30 in the year 2016; 57 in 2017; 65 in 2018; 78 in 2019; 126 in 2020; 84 in 2021; 54 in 2022; and 101 in the current year 2023,” the ministry said in a statement.
During this period, the city also experienced the least number of days with ‘poor to severe’ air quality in 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of last seven years since 2016 (barring 2020 – the year of lockdown due to coronavirus). “The number of ‘Poor to Severe’ Air Quality Days for the first half-year period (January to June) have also been progressively reducing from 147 in 2016 to 80 in 2023,” it said.
The ministry said favourable meteorological conditions and continual efforts at the ground level to prevent, control and abate air pollution in the region resulted in better air quality in the current year.
The ongoing strict monitoring and enforcement actions through various stakeholder agencies lead to better implementation of the air pollution control measures, the ministry added.
The average AQI (air quality index) for Delhi during this period also remained in ‘moderate’ category, that is, below 200. Delhi has reported its lowest average AQI during the current year (JanuaryJune) compared to the corresponding period for the seven years, from 2016 (barring 2020), the statement added.
The ministry added that this improvement signifies a substantial reduction in air pollutants with lower levels of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other harmful emissions.
PTI