Although Delhi recorded the lowest level of pollution in October this year, the AQI has been deteriorating in the last three days due to firecrackers and an increase in stubble burning, said state environment minister Gopal Rai on Friday.
However, he said, the pollution is lesser than the previous year even as Delhi’s overall air quality reached the ‘severe’ category with the overall AQI standing at 531.
“Some people had intentionally asked people to burst firecrackers during Diwali festival. Opposition was underestimating the point that pollution increases due to the bursting of firecrackers,” alleged Rai.
He also said that almost 3,500 stubble burning incidents are taking place in neighbouring states as per NASA pictures.
Stubble burning in neighbouring states
Government air quality forecast agency SAFAR said during the day that stubble burning accounted for 36% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Friday, the highest this season so far.
“The overall air quality of Delhi plunged to the upper end of the ‘severe’ category with additional firework emissions. The share of stubble emissions has peaked today at 36%,” said Gufran Beig, the founder-project director of SAFAR.
“Local winds have picked up, and fast dispersion (of pollutants) is expected now. Without any more firecracker emissions, the AQI will improve to the ‘very poor’ category by tonight although the stubble contribution is expected to remain almost the same (on Saturday),” he added.
On Thursday, farm fires accounted for 25% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution.
Last year, the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution had peaked at 42% on 5 November. In 2019, crop residue burning accounted for 44% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on 1 November.
The concentration of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 32% on Diwali last year as compared to 19% in 2019.
Pollution in Delhi
A thick layer of acrid smog engulfed the Delhi-NCR region on Friday following rampant cracker bursting on Diwali night amid a rapid increase in fumes from stubble burning.
Ahead of the festival season, the Delhi government had announced a complete ban on crackers till 1 January 2022 and ran an aggressive campaign against the sale and use of crackers.
In a bid to curb air pollution, Gopal Rai on Friday installed an anti-smog gun to Improve the Air Quality in national quality. It has been put up at ITO, considered one of the most polluted areas in the capital due to traffic at the intersection.
“We are installing several movable and immovable anti-smog machines in Delhi to curb the pollution. 10 big movable anti-smog machines will be on the roads. We are also initiating the process of sprinkling water at places where the pollution is severe,” said Rai.
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