Chandigarh, 26 January 2025: Chandigarh’s brief spell of moderate air quality ended Saturday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) slipped back into the poor category, recording 210, a sharp rise from levels below 200 earlier this week, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s daily bulletin.
The city’s AQI surpassed Delhi’s, which recorded 174, and lagged behind Muzzafarpur in Bihar, the most polluted city nationwide with an AQI of 306. Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the decline to falling temperatures and reduced wind speeds.
“Despite sunny conditions, low wind speeds fail to scatter pollutants effectively,” explained IMD Chandigarh Director Surender Paul. “Coupled with lower night temperatures, pollution levels tend to rise.”
He noted that AQI values in the poor range (201-300) could lead to respiratory discomfort after prolonged exposure.
Earlier this month, AQI levels crossed 300 during dense fog episodes, placing the air quality in the very poor category.
Meanwhile, the city’s weather remains favorable for Republic Day celebrations. “Bright and sunny conditions will persist, ensuring ideal weather for the festivities,” IMD predicted, dismissing the possibility of rain despite an impending weak Western Disturbance on Wednesday.
On Saturday, the maximum temperature climbed slightly to 23.1°C, 4.8 degrees above normal, while the minimum dipped to 8.6°C.
Over the next three days, temperatures are expected to hover between 22°C and 23°C during the day and between 7°C and 9°C at night, sustaining the city’s unseasonably warm winter spell.
