india

Updated: Nov 16, 2019 10:40 IST

Air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘severe’ zone on Saturday morning with the air quality index (AQI) showed a marginal improvement.

Government pollution monitoring agencies had forecast that a significant improvement in air quality was expected on Saturday. The air quality remained in the ‘emergency’ zone over the past four days.

The air quality index (AQI), as calculated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 6.30 am was 414. This was against the overall AQI reading of 458 on Friday.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-led task force will review pollution levels today in order to take a call on extending the curbs. Schools in Delhi-NCR were shut on the past two days for deteriorating air quality.

Scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that weather had a key role to play in increasing pollution levels in the capital over the last four days.

Wind speed is expected to go up to nearly 20 kmph today, which will help in fast dispersal if pollutants. So far a layer of clouds, low wind speed combined with a layer of pollutants had pushed up pollution levels in the Capital.

“Since the accumulation of pollutants is high, dispersion will take time and air quality is expected to improve significantly over the weekend starting Saturday itself,” said a senior IMD scientist.