New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) Residents of Delhi-NCR will continue to face poor air quality, as slow wind speeds have once again pushed pollution levels into the ‘poor’ category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday stood at 214 around 7 a.m., according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

On Sunday, the air quality in the national capital had slipped to the ‘poor’ category as well, with the AQI recorded at 221 around 7 a.m. This was marginally worse than the AQI of 197 recorded on Saturday.

As per CPCB data, several monitoring stations reported high AQI levels on Monday morning. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 300, Ashok Vihar 266, Burari Crossing 240, DTU 205, Dwarka Sector-8 237, IIT Delhi 137, ITO 204, Jahangiripuri 288, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 244, Mandir Marg 159, Narela 248, Okhla Phase-2 216, Patparganj 224, Pusa 216, R.K. Puram 245, Rohini 282, Sonia Vihar 252, and Wazirpur 272.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday compared Delhi’s air quality to a ‘gas chamber’ and claimed that residents of his state were enjoying a cleaner environment. He said people in Uttar Pradesh were not being ‘suffocated’ despite rapid development work.

Weather conditions may offer limited relief in the coming days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain and thunderstorms over parts of northern India on February 16 and in the following days. However, temperatures in Delhi are expected to remain high, with the maximum likely to climb close to 30 degrees Celsius.

The national capital remained warmer than usual during the first half of February. The average maximum temperature recorded between February 1 and 15 stood at 25 degrees Celsius, which is 1.9 degrees Celsius above the long-period average (LPA) for this period.

Although weather experts have predicted an active western disturbance in the coming days, a significant drop in temperature is unlikely. The maximum temperature is likely to gradually rise to 30 degrees Celsius.

Delhi’s maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded at 28.5 degrees Celsius, around four degrees above normal for this time of the year. The maximum temperature is forecast to touch 29 degrees Celsius on both Monday and Tuesday.

During the first 15 days of February, the maximum temperature stayed above normal for 14 days, with the mercury falling below 20 degrees only once. The highest maximum temperature so far this month has been 28.6 degrees Celsius, recorded on February 10.

The IMD has further predicted that a feeble western disturbance may bring isolated drizzles in the city on Wednesday. However, the maximum temperature is unlikely to dip significantly and may hover around 28 degrees Celsius by the weekend.

The possible drizzle could lead to a marginal temperature drop, but it would be brief. The possible drizzle may lead to a marginal dip in temperature, but it will be only a brief decrease of 1-2 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature is likely to rise again after February 19.

–IANS

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