Diwali: Delhi's air quality 'very poor', likely to become 'severe' by evening

Delhi's air quality remained “very poor” on Saturday morning and emission from firecrackers and calm winds may push it to “severe” zone, according to government ncies and wear experts.

Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said PM2.5 concentration in Delhi on Diwali is likely to be “lowest” in last four years if firecrackers are burnt.

Pollution levels in Delhi during Diwali period are likely to remain in higher end of “very poor” category in absence of emissions due to fireworks, it said.

But two factors – smoke from farm fires and stagnant surface winds – will keep air quality in higher end of “very poor” category to lower end of “severe” on Diwali night, it said.

central government's Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said, “ air quality in Delhi-NCR is likely to deteriorate furr and enter 'severe' category by evening.”  SAFAR said transport-level winds have become rthwesterly and stubble burning-induced impact on air quality index (AQI) is expected to increase.

A spike in PM2.5 levels in early hours of Sunday is likely if fire crackers are burnt, it said.

city recorded an AQI of 373 at 10 am on Saturday, which falls in “very poor” category. However, several monitoring stations, including at ITO (406), Alipur (422), Jahangirpuri (431), Rohini (403), Vivek Vihar (415), Narela (418), Bawana (430), Mundka (405) and Anand Vihar (429), recorded ir AQI in “severe” category.

24-hour aver AQI was 339 on Friday and 314 on Thursday.

neighbouring cities of Faridab (323), Ghaziab (412), ida (362), Greater ida (350), and Gurgaon (338), which fall in National Capital Region (NCR), also recorded ir AQI is "very poor" and “severe” categories.

Delhi recorded a 24-hour aver AQI of 337 on Diwali last year (October 27), and 368 and 400 in next two days. reafter, pollution levels remained in “severe” category for three days on trot.

In 2018, 24-hour aver AQI (281) on Diwali was recorded in “poor” category. It deteriorated to 390 next day and remained in “severe” category on three consecutive days reafter.

In 2017, Delhi's 24-hour aver AQI on Diwali (October 19) stood at 319. It, however, slipped into “severe” zone next day.

This time, India Meteorological Department has said that a fresh western disturbance is likely to increase wind speed and improve air quality in Delhi-NCR post Diwali.

Light rain is likely on Sunday under influence of a western disturbance. It is still to be seen if it is eugh to wash away pollutants, Kuldeep Srivastava, he of IMD's regional forecasting centre, said.

"However, Delhi-NCR's air quality is likely to improve post Diwali due to an expected increase in wind speed on Sunday,” he said.

V K Soni, he of IMD's environment research centre, said calm winds and firecrackers emissions may push air quality to “severe” zone on Diwali night.  wind speed is expected to pick up reafter and wind direction will be east-souasterly, he said.

re will be a significant improvement in air quality by vember 16, Soni said.

Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi also said situation is likely to “improve significantly” on Sunday.  “Under influence of a Western Disturbance, isolated rainfall over plains of rthwest India and joining central India is likely on Sunday. predominant surface wind is likely to be coming from East-Souast direction of Delhi with wind speed up to 20 kmph,” it said.

“Generally cloudy sky, light rain, thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds (speed 30-40 kmph) is likely towards afteron-evening on Sunday,” central ncy said.

Commission for Air Quality Manment (CAQM) on Friday directed CPCB and states concerned to ensure re is lapse in implementation of National Green Tribunal's directions in view of air quality scenario during Diwali period.

“In pursuance of NGT order dated vember 9 and considering concerns of air quality scenario in NCR and its verse health impact, Commission directed CPCB, state governments and authorities concerned for strict compliance of directions of NGT, with zero tolerance on violation,” it said.

National Green Tribunal (NGT) h on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in National Capital Region (NCR) from vember 9 midnight to vember 30 midnight, saying "celebration by crackers is for happiness and t to celebrate deaths and diseases".

A bench heed by NGT Chairperson Justice arsh Kumar Goel clarified that direction will apply to all cities and towns in country where aver of ambient air quality during vember 2019 was in "poor" and above categories.  "At or places, restrictions are optional for authorities but if re are more stringent measures under orders of authorities, same will prevail," NGT h said.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) h on Wednesday ordered closure of hot mix plants and stone crushers in Delhi-NCR till vember 17 in view of a likely increase in pollution levels during festive season.

It also asked governments of Punjab and Haryana to take immediate stringent actions to curb stubble burning and authorities in Delhi-NCR to strictly check biomass burning.