New Delhi: On the day of Diwali, Delhi's air quality is inching towards 'very poor' and can get worse if firecrackers burst. For the past few days, the air quality has been 'poor' in the national capital. However, on Monday the pollution levels soared with an AQI of 300. In fact, the AQI level 401 has been recorded in Anand Vihar. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe. On Monday, (Oct 24) the maximum temperature of Delhi is likely to be near 31 degree Celsius and the minimum temperature is likely to be near 15 degree Celsius.
Firecrackers and stubble burning: Major cause of pollution
The major cause of air pollution is emissions from firecrackers and stubble burning. Pollution levels crept up on Sunday night amid a drop in temperature and wind speed as people burst firecrackers in several parts of the capital. The number of farm fires rose to 1,318, the highest this season so far.
Nineteen of the 35 monitoring stations in the city recorded air quality in the "very poor" category, while one (Anand Vihar) reported "severe" pollution levels.
Delhi wakes up to smog covering the national capital's sky with the overall AQI (Air Quality Index) under the 'poor' category, at 276.
(Visuals from India Gate & Lodhi Road) pic.twitter.com/9ssB9ILezR
— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2022
The neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (300), Noida (299), Greater Noida (282), Gurugram (249) and Faridabad (248) reported poor air quality.
If firecrackers are burst, air quality may dip to 'severe'
In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to "severe" levels on the night of Diwali and continue to remain in the "red" zone for another day, SAFAR predicted.
Diwali is being celebrated across the country on Monday. The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution has so far remained low (up to 5 per cent) due to a slow transport-level wind speed. But, it is likely to increase to 8 per cent on Monday.
Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR, said the transport-level wind direction and speed is likely to become "very favourable" for transport of smoke from stubble burning from Monday afternoon.
"It will increase the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution to 15-18 per cent on October 25 and push the air quality into the 'severe' category," he said. The Indian Agricultural Research Institute reported 902 farm fires in Punjab, 217 in Haryana and 109 in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening.
(With PTI inputs)
