The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi reached the “very poor” category on Wednesday, said the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). The overall air quality index (AQI) of the city was 303 on Tuesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Delhi’s neighbouring cities — Faridabad (306), Ghaziabad (334) and Noida (303) — also recorded very poor air quality. Before this, the highest AQI of the season recorded in Delhi was 298 in the “poor” category on October 17.
Expert said that the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 was less due to wind direction , but meteorological factors and local sources of pollution affected the air quality .
While the contribution of farm fires in Delhi’s air pollution has remained low this season so far due to heavy rainfall in October, the scenario is likely to change post Diwali. SAFAR has predicted that Delhi’s air quality may slip to the “severe” category on Diwali night and the share of stubble burning in its PM2.5 pollution may go up to 40 per cent the day after, PTI reported.
“Even if we consider 50 per cent of firecracker-related emissions of 2019, the AQI is predicted to degrade to the ‘severe’ category from November 4 night and will remain so till November 5,” SAFAR said.
