Particulate Matter Levels Declining; Improvement in Air Quaity Due to Efforts of Implementing Agencies
“Particulate Matter Levels Declining; Improvement in Air Quaity Due to Efforts of Implementing Agencies”: Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Science & Technology & Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that there is a declining trend in the levels of Particulate Matter at present, indicating an improvement in air quality due to the efforts made by implementing agencies. “There has been a decline in PM10 values – from 712.1 to 566.6 micrograms and decline in PM2.5 levels from 480 to 385.7 micrograms at 2.00 p.m today”, the Minister said. He added that with the present trend, it is expected that the decline in Particulate Matter levels will continue and air quality is likely to fall back in the Severe category.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that the present air quality in Delhi NCR has been in the Severe Plus category and emergency conditions due to adverse weather conditions because of western disturbances, stubble burning and high levels of relative humidity.
The Minister said that initially the conditions started on November 7, 2017 at 6.00 a.m and declined to severe category (concentration less than 500 micrograms/m3 for PM10 and less than 300 micrograms/m3 for PM2.5) on November 11 at 3.00 p.m. Later, the level has gone up again because of adverse weather conditions, which is further improving now.