Delhi-NCR: Trend Of Improving Overall Air Quality Continues, Region Registers Best Average AQI In Last Eight Years

For the period between January-August during the year, Delhi registered its best ever average air quality during the last eight years — from 2016 to 2023 (barring the COVID affected 2020).

Continuing with the improving trend in the overall air quality, daily average air quality index (AQI) for Delhi during the above period, in the current year has been recorded as 174 as against 194 in 2022, 192 in 2021, 147 in 2020, 199 in 2019.

The AQI recorded in 2018, 2017 and 2016 was 203, 203 and 236 respectively, during the corresponding period.

An overall daily average AQI level of below 200 for the period from January-August has been observed only during 2021 onwards, with the lowest being 174 in 2023 (barring the COVID affected 2020).

AQI is greatly impacted by the levels of rainfall/precipitation and wind speed.

The month of August 2023 has been one of the driest, with a rain deficit of about 30 per cent over the normal, in the entire country and a significant deficit of more than 50 per cent over normal in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Strong dust storm activities occurred between 26-28 August, leading to transient increase in PM10 concentrations.

Delhi witnessed highest number of days (163) with “good” to “moderate” air quality (daily average AQI<200) during January-August 2023, as compared to the corresponding period for last five years (barring the COVID affected 2020).

“Good” to “moderate” air quality days during this period in the previous years were only 116 in 2022, 144 in 2021, 135 in 2019 and 123 in 2018 respectively.

This period in 2023 has also witnessed a remarkable reduction in daily average PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations over the last six years.

The period during January-August in 2023 has recorded daily average PM 2.5 concentrations of about 77 µgm/m3 as against ranging from 85-97 µgm/m3 during the corresponding periods from 2017 to 2022 (barring the COVID affected 2020).

Likewise, the daily average PM 10 concentration in Delhi has been about 176 µgm/m3, which is remarkably lower than a range of 201-226 µgm/m3 during the corresponding periods from 2017 to 2022 (barring the COVID affected 2020).

Favourable meteorological conditions, continual ground level efforts, actions by various stakeholder agencies to abate air pollution and ongoing monitoring and enforcement actions have helped to better air quality during 2023.