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- By Aditya Jha
- Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Delhi Air Pollution: The air quality in Delhi has severely worsened in the past few weeks, leading to several issues, including low visibility and breath-related issues. Several factors are considered responsible for the pathetic air quality, such as vehicular emissions, stubble burning, and construction dust. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), while the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was recorded at 130 on October 1, it was calculated at 327 on November 26. While stubble burning is one of the most discussed reasons behind the pollution, a recent study suggests that it is not the leading contributor in the situation.
As per the study by the Decision Support System (DSS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the stubble burning had a negligible contribution to the air pollution in early October. While its share rose to 2.6 per cent when the AQI in the national capital was recorded at 250, it contributed nearly 22 per cent when the AQI was recorded at 418. However, the study clarified that its contribution reduced to almost 5 per cent by the end of the week of November, suggesting that its contribution reduced in the past few weeks.
The study further revealed that neighbouring cities, including Gurugram and Noida, have contributed 29.5 per cent to the toxic air of the national capital. While the transport sector's contribution was 19.7 per cent, residential emissions contributed 4.8 per cent. However, the study also revealed that the contribution of unknown sources was 34.8 per cent.
As per a study by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), the annual average PM 2.5 level in Delhi reached 101 micrograms per cubic meter, which is two and a half times the Indian standard and 20 times the World Health Organisation (WHO) limit.