Delhi’s air quality was recorded “very poor” on Tuesday morning. The dip in the air quality for the first time in the season was attributed to low wind speed and temperatures which allowed accumulation of pollutants, said a senior scientist at the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, adding that stubble burning cases have also increased in neighbouring States.
The national Capital recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 304 at 9:30 am, which falls in the “very poor” category. The 24-hour average AQI was 261 on Monday, the worst since February. It was 216 on Sunday and 221 on Saturday. Wazirpur (AQI 380), Vivek Vihar (AQI 355) and Jahangirpuri (AQI 349) recorded the highest pollution levels.
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, an increase in farm fires in Punjab, Haryana and neighbouring regions of Pakistan is also going to impact the air quality in Delhi-NCR.
An AQI between 0 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”.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, farm fires contributed 3 per cent particulate matter to Delhi’s PM2.5 concentration on Monday.
It is likely to be “negligible” for the next two days due to a change in the wind direction from northwesterly to southeasterly, it said.
On Tuesday morning, the maximum wind speed was four kilometers per hour, according to the India Meteorological Department. Low temperatures and stagnant winds help in accumulation of pollutants near the ground, affecting air quality.
With Delhi-NCR bracing for months of poor air quality, experts have warned that high levels of air pollution can aggravate the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, the Delhi Government has launched a massive anti-air pollution campaign — “Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh’ — which is being led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Environment Minister Gopal Rai.
A “green war room” with a 10-member expert team has been set up at the Delhi Secretariat to monitor the steps being taken to deal with high levels of air pollution in winters.
The environment department has also taken stern action against project proponents at large construction and demolition sites flouting dust control norms.
The Government will also start the spraying of “Pusa bio-decomposer” solution in non-basmati rice fields in the national Capital, on Tuesday.
The solution, experts say, can turn the stubble into manure in 15 to 20 days and therefore, can prevent stubble burning. Starting October 15, stricter measures to fight air pollution will also come into force in Delhi and its neighbourhood as part of the Graded Response Action Plan, which was first implemented in Delhi-NCR in 2017.