As the pollution in Delhi plummeted to 'very poor' levels on Sunday, stubble burning continued in parts of Punjab and Haryana. Several areas in the city recorded air quality index (AQI) in the 'severe' category creating concerns for the national capital ahead of Diwali.
A police team of five members visited fields to extinguish stubble burning in the Ferozepur district of Punjab, as shown in a video shared by ANI, where officers used raw tree trunks with leaves to douse the flames. Similarly, stubble burning was also reported near the Kaithal-Hisar highway in Haryana.
As per news agency PTI, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows Delhi's 24-hour average AQI rose to 355 at 4 pm on Sunday, up from 255 on Saturday. Data from 37 of the city’s 40 monitoring stations showed that air quality in Bawana, Burari, and Jahangirpuri had reached 'severe' levels.
Neighbouring areas like Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, and Noida also registered 'very poor' air quality, while Faridabad and Gurugram recorded 'poor' levels.
Delhi's Main Pollutants PM10 And PM2.5
Delhi-NCR's Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) categorises air quality into four stages during winter: Stage I - "Poor" (AQI 201-300), Stage II - "Very Poor" (AQI 301-400), Stage III - "Severe" (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV - "Severe Plus" (AQI above 450).
India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted the wind speed in the city to 0 kmph. Over the last two days, favourable wind speed has improved Delhi's air quality from 'very poor' to 'poor'.
According to the CPCB, Delhi's main pollutants on Sunday were PM10 and PM2.5, with PM2.5 levels recorded at 110.6 micrograms per cubic meter at 5 pm. PM2.5 consists of fine particles that are easily penetrable into the respiratory system, causing health issues, while PM10 particles are 10 micrometers or smaller in diameter.
These tiny particles suspended in the air can be inhaled into the lungs, potentially leading to conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory illnesses.
Vehicular emissions were the largest contributor to Delhi's pollution on Sunday, making up about 13per cent, as reported by the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management. It is expected that vehicular emissions will remain the main source of pollution over the next two days.
The weather department has predicted clear skies for Delhi on Monday, with temperatures likely to range between 20°C and 34°C.