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Delhi AQI: Capital Plunges Into 'Very Poor' Air Emergency As Smog Rises
Delhi AQI: Capital Plunges Into 'Very Poor' Air Emergency As Smog Rises 100 Points, Fueled By Stubble And Firecrackers
Delhi's AQI surged past 300 into the 'Very Poor' category (311) due to farm fires (9.48% contribution) and firecrackers. Forecast shows worse air quality ahead.
The air quality in Delhi suddenly turned worse on Thursday, jumping more than 100 points on the Air Quality Index and cloaking the capital in a thick, grey haze. The sudden spike into the 'Very Poor' category was blamed on the detrimental mix of smoke from farm fires in neighboring Punjab and Haryana, illegal bursting of firecrackers overnight, and adverse local meteorological conditions.
At 4 pm on Thursday, the AQI officially stood at 311 in the 'Very Poor' category, a significant jump from 202 just a day earlier. The visible difference—a shift from a relatively clearer sky to persistent, eye-watering smog—underscored the immediate public health emergency.
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The contribution of external sources, notably stubble burning in the neighboring states, rose to its highest this winter, starkly deteriorating the capital's air quality.
Contribution: According to the Centre's Decision Support System (DSS), an estimated 9.48% of Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution on Thursday was contributed by stubble burning.
Forecast Spike: DSS, however, projects a surge in this contribution, which is forecasted to increase up to 38% by Friday due to the persistence of northwesterly winds, carrying smoke from agricultural fires into the city.
Seasonal Peak: This is the time of year when calm winds, falling temperatures, and crop residue burning come together, and according to past records, the contribution of stubble fires usually peaks in the first week of November.
The surge was preceded by activity at the local level and atmospheric conditions, revealing the influence of firecrackers used out of season.
Firecracker Impact: Environmental analysts confirmed that Wednesday night saw a heavy accumulation of local emissions, particularly from firecrackers burst illegally during Gurpurab celebrations, combining with vehicular pollution.
Calm Winds: Until noon on Thursday, winds remained calm, leading to a phenomenon where temperature inversions trapped pollutants close to the ground, preventing dispersion.
Pollutant Shift: The dominant pollutant on Thursday now became PM 2.5, that is, fine particulate matter from combustion, indicating that the pollution was driven by burning sources rather than just atmospheric reactions.
Concerns remain that the official AQI readings may be understating the actual pollution crisis on the ground.
Monitoring Status: Of the capital's 39 active air quality monitoring stations, 29 recorded the quality of air in the 'Very Poor' category above 301, with the rest above the 'Poor' level above 200.
DSS Silence: The DSS, critical for estimating source contributions, had a data gap of four days before updating, and data for historically peak days (November 1 and 2) is still missing.
Forecast: Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi has, however, forecast the adverse situation will continue with 'Very Poor' conditions through Sunday. Despite a lower fire count this year in Punjab and Haryana due to delayed harvesting, meteorological conditions have ensured the continuation of the seasonal hazard into winter with "ideal conditions for pollution accumulation."
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Source: ZeeNews
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