- Delhi's AQI reached 129, falling into the moderate category.
- Nineteen new stubble burning events detected across six states.
- Punjab recorded highest stubble burning, impacting Delhi's air quality.
The air quality in Delhi plunged to the moderate category, but the AQI climbed to 129 on Wednesday as 19 events of stubble-burning were detected across the six study states.
According to a study by the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, seven events were recorded each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from UP and Punjab, four events were detected in Madhya Pradesh and one in Haryana by satellites on September 30.
The study recorded a total of 114 residue-burning events across the six states between September 15 and 30. The highest cases, 59, were recorded in Punjab, followed by 32 in Uttar Pradesh, 17 in Madhya Pradesh, three in Haryana, two in Rajasthan and one in Delhi.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI in the capital fell to the moderate category after five days of satisfactory AQI. Under the CPCB classification, an AQI of 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor" and 401-500 "severe".
Out of the 46 monitoring stations in the capital, 42 recorded air quality in the moderate category while three recorded satisfactory air quality.
The only station with poor air quality was IIT Delhi, which recorded an AQI of 207 at 6 pm.
Notably, the cases of stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana directly impact air quality in Delhi, which battles with severe air pollution in winter every year.
The farmers set fire to crop residue after harvesting to clear their fields before cultivating wheat and vegetables. The clean dispsal process are costlier as compared to burning.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the air quality in Delhi is likely to remain in the moderate category from October 1 to 3 and during the subsequent six days.
"The ventilation index is expected to remain below 6,000 square metres per second, with an average wind speed of less than 10 kmph, conditions considered unfavourable for pollutant dispersion," it said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Safdarjung in Delhi, recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius, which is 0.5 degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature at Safdarjung settled at 22.4 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees below normal.
Similarly, Palam recorded a maximum temperature of 32.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal and a minimum temperature of 21.0 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees below normal.
Lodhi Road recorded 33.8 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees above normal and the minimum temperature was recorded at 21.6 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees below normal.
The Ridge recorded a maximum temperature of 32.9 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, while a minimum temperature of 18.8 degrees Celsius, 4.1 degrees below normal, was recorded. Ayanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 34.0 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 22.2 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees below normal.
(With PTI Inputs)