AQI still ‘very poor’ but CAQM revokes GRAP-III in NCR

Noida: Air quality remained in the ‘very poor' category for the third day in a row on Thursday. The CAQM revoked GRAP Stage-III measures across NCR on Thursday. Visibility was poor in the morning hours, dropping to 700m.

Noida logged an AQI of 335 against Wednesday's 329, while Greater Noida's AQI shifted marginally to 314 from 320. In Ghaziabad, the AQI was recorded at 359, against 347 the day before.


AQI data shows that all three cities primarily recorded ‘very poor' air over the last ten days, with the only deviation being when both Noida and Ghaziabad's air quality deteriorated to the ‘severe' range last Sunday and Monday. Greater Noida recorded one ‘severe' air day during this period on Sunday.

Despite air pollution levels firmly remaining ‘very poor' or worse, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Thursday revoked GRAP III measures in Delhi-NCR.

It stated that there is a likelihood of the average AQI of Delhi-NCR staying in the ‘moderate' to ‘poor' category in the coming days. The CAQM sub-committee on GRAP on Thursday unanimously decided to revoke all actions under Stage III of the extant schedule of GRAP in the entire NCR with immediate effect.

AQI data was not available on the Central Pollution Control Board portal on Thursday.

As per the Sameer App, all four air monitoring stations in Noida recorded ‘very poor' air, with Sector 125 recording the worst AQI at 363, followed by Sector 116 (AQI 342), Sector 1 (AQI 332) and Sector 62 (AQI 313). In Greater Noida, Knowledge Park V (AQI 345) recorded ‘very poor' air, while Knowledge Park III (AQI 281) was in the ‘poor' range.

In Ghaziabad, Loni recorded the worst AQI at 404 in the ‘severe category. Vasundhara (AQI 394) and Indirapuram (AQI 369) recorded ‘very poor' air, while Sanjay Nagar (AQI 295) was in the ‘poor' range.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the predominant surface wind on Thursday came from the south-east direction, with wind speeds less than 15 kmph during the afternoon hours. The wind speed increased to 20 kmph during the evening and night.

On Friday, the city will record a generally cloudy sky with 1 or 2 spells of light rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds likely during the early hours to forenoon hours. The city will also record shallow to moderate fog during the morning hours.

The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the south-east direction, with wind speed less than 20 kmph during the morning hours. The wind speed will increase up to 25 kmph in the afternoon hours and then decrease to 10 kmph during the evening and night.