Stubble fires in neighboring states have once again made a return of noxious haze to Delhi and NCR pushing the air quality in severe zone. The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) said pollution levels in the city may probably enter to emergency category on Wednesday.
According to a tweet from Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, the air quality in Delhi-NCR could be in severe category by November 14.
The fall in temperature as well as wind speed are the two supporting factors to return of noxious have. Tuesday morning the minimum temperature was recorded the season’s lowest, 11.7 degrees Celsius, which is said to be 2 notches below normal.
Fall in temperature and wind makes air denser and cold. These lead to accumulation of pollutants.
The tiny particulate matter of size less than 2.5 microns in diameter rose up to 337 micrograms per cubic metre in the city and its suburbs Tuesday late evening, breaching emergency threshold of 300. The safe level is up to 60 micrograms per cubic metre.
Meanwhile, the weather department revealed Wazirpur was the most-polluted following by Bawana, Rohini, Mundka and Anand Vihar. Extremely polluted air was also measured in Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida.
According to experts, the decline in wind speed could be the reason in sudden rise in pollution levels.
SAFAR adds about 25 percent of the city’s pollution can be attributed to stubble-burning in neighboring states.
