Delhi registered second-best air quality during Jan-Sept period in six years: CAQM

The CAQM said there has been a substantial reduction in daily average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in 2023 compared to the past six years.

New Delhi: Delhi-NCR recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 from January 1 to September 30 this year, the second-best for the corresponding period in six years, the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Saturday.

Better air quality during this period was recorded only during the pandemic-affected 2020, it said in a statement.

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In 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018, the average AQI during this period ranged from 180 to 193.

Delhi experienced its only “good” air quality day of the year, with an AQI of 45, on September 10, the final day of the G20 Summit.

Despite less rainfall in September 2023 (82.7 mm) compared to September 2022 (165 mm), the average AQI for the month this year (108) remained on par with last year (104).

Between January and September this year, Delhi saw 193 days with “good” to “moderate” air quality (average AQI less than 200), surpassing the previous five years (excluding 2020), during which the number of such days ranged from 146 to 174.

The CAQM said there has been a substantial reduction in daily average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in 2023 compared to the past six years.

In the first eight months of 2023, the daily average PM2.5 concentrations were around 73 micrograms per cubic metre, significantly lower than the range of 82-95 micrograms per cubic metre observed during the 2017-2022 period (excluding 2020).

Similarly, the average PM10 concentration in Delhi this year averages 169 micrograms per cubic metre, lower than the range of 183-215 micrograms per cubic metre in the previous years (excluding 2020).