Favourable winds have brought a slight improvement to Delhi's air quality over the last two days, moving it to the "poor" category, compared to the "very poor" levels recorded a few days ago. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 4 pm on Saturday was 255 against 270 a day earlier, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.

Data from 36 of the city's 40 weather-monitoring stations has been shared by the department, revealing that six stations -- Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Wazirpur, Vivek Vihar and Sonia Vihar -- fall in the "very poor" or red-zone category, while the rest are in the "poor" category. In neighbouring areas like Greater Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad, the air quality was better, with the AQI recorded in the "moderate" category. Meanwhile, Noida and Ghazibad recorded "poor" air quality, similar to the national capital.

Weather experts had said earlier that a shift in the wind direction and an increased wind speed had contributed to an improvement in the air quality. Similar wind conditions are expected over the next couple of days. With no major weather activity predicted for the upcoming week, the conditions are likely to remain stable.The prominent pollutants in Delhi on Friday were PM10 and O3, according to the CPCB's data.

PM10 is a particulate matter that is 10 micrometre or less in diameter.

These tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the air can be inhaled into the lungs. The sources of PM10 include dust, pollen, mold, vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions, which can cause respiratory problems because they can penetrate deep into the lungs, potentially leading to issues such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases. Long-term exposure can also increase the risk of heart and lung diseases.

Meanwhile, Delhi's transport sector was the biggest contributor to its pollution, with emissions from transportation accounting for 14.8 per cent of the city's air pollution on Saturday, according to the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management.

It also predicted that the transport sector will remain the top contributor to Delhi's pollution over the next two days. The PM2.5 level was recorded at 110.6 micrograms per cubic metre at 5 pm, according to the CPCB.

PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles with a diameter generally measuring 2.5 micrometre and smaller, posing the greatest risk to health.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai emphasised the urgent need to tackle air pollution across northern India, calling the next 15 days "crucial".

 Following a key meeting with the Central government on Friday, Rai held a press conference on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, and Agriculture Ministers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The Chairperson of the Central Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM), along with other key central government officials, were also present, aimed to assess and address the worsening air quality in the region.

This came on the  backdrop of poor air quality index in Delhi, prompting the authorites to impose restrictions under the stage II of the GRAP . The air quality index was stood at 255 in Delhi.

Rai mentioned that for the past month and a half, he has been reaching out to the central environment minister, advocating for artificial rainfall in Delhi. During the meeting, he called for proactive measures, including stubble-burning control and firecracker restrictions.

Rai expressed concern over the delay in this year's meeting and said, "Last year, a similar meeting was held in August, allowing us more time to strategise.

 "This year's meeting took place in the last week of October. Had it been conducted three months earlier, we could have tackled the pollution problem more effectively," Rai said.

During the meeting, Punjab's Agriculture Minister presented a report detailing stubble-burning incidents within the state. The report indicated that by October of the previous year, around 5,500 instances of stubble burning had already taken place in Punjab. He said, “Stubble burning is also happening in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

There has been an increase in these incidents in certain districts compared to 2022, and efforts need to be actively made in these areas.”