New Delhi: The residents of Delhi can now breathe a sigh of relief as the city’s Air Quality registered a significant improvement, landing in the moderate category, reveals data from SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research) India. The air quality in the National Capital Region also remained between ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ categories, with AQIs at 158 in Gurugram, 248 in Greater Noida, 170 in Noida, and 179 in Faridabad.
However, it is expected to worsen to very poor due to the farm fires, burning of effigies, and unfavourable weather conditions. Punjab has recorded highest single-day stubble burning counts i.e. 360 this season, while Haryana (70) and Uttar Pradesh (38) also reported paddy residue burning events the impact of Dusshera’s effigy burning shall be visible near the sires. The wind speed dropped during the night, causing the accumulation of pollutants. The data has been revealed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute through its satellite data.
“As pollution levels are currently high and farm fires are rising in north-west India, burning of effigies for two to three hours will add to the existing pollution load”, said Sunil Dahiya, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
The Delhi Metro on Tuesday announced that it will run 40 additional trips on weekdays starting October 25, confirmed DMRC. The move came days after the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-II measures were invoked to combat pollution in the national capital.
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that eight more pollution hotspots have been identified by the government in addition to the existing 13 in the national capital, and special teams will be deployed there to check pollution sources.