The residents of Delhi-NCR continued to breathe toxic air as the air pollution level records all time high. The Air Quality remained under ‘severe’ category in Delhi and its adjoining areas. The regular stubble burning in the neighbouring areas of Delhi continued, pushing the AQI beyond dangerous level .
As of Wednesday morning, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) reported AQI at 724whole PM2.5 has now become the lead pollutant instead of PM10 as a characteristic of wintertime.
On Tuesday, the 24-hour average AQI of Delhi was 476. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (345), Ghaziabad (390), Noida (339), Greater Noida(322), and Gurgaon (309), which fall in the National Capital Region, also recorded air quality under “very poor” quality.
SAFAR forecast
“The calm wind is forecast for the next 24 hrs. The air quality is likely to improve on Wednesday to the lower end of ‘severe’ to higher end of ‘very poor’ category owing to a forecast change in transport level wind direction and marginally better ventilation condition. The SAFAR synergized stubble fire counts over Punjab, Haryana, UP, Uttarakhand, and neighbouring areas have marginally reduced since last reported but still significantly high and stood at 2,247 Monday. Stubble burning share in PM2.5 in Delhi’s air is estimated at 22% for Tuesday,” said SAFAR prediction.
Air pollution in Delhi usually shoots high in the months of October and November due to farmers burning off stubble in neighbouring states, unfavourable wind speed and local emission of traffic fumes in the city.
The situation is expected to become even severe as firecrackers ignited for Diwali add to the problem.
Meanwhile, the air pollution may intensify the covid-19 situation in the country. The national capital is already reporting its all time high number cases, breaching 7,000 mark since last few days.
On Saturday, Indian Council of Medical Research said that the air pollution may lead to faster spread of the virus which can further result in high mortality rate.
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