Delhi’s AQI ‘Severe’ Again; Farm Fires Contribute 22% of PM2.5 Pollution Load
Farm fires push pollution to health-crisis levels.
Delhi’s air quality plunged deeper into the 'severe' zone on Wednesday, clocking a 24-hour average AQI of 418 by 4 pm, marking the second consecutive day of hazardous breathing conditions that threaten even healthy residents. The Central Pollution Control Board warns that prolonged exposure at this level can trigger respiratory distress, cardiovascular issues, and exacerbate existing illnesses, prompting schools to shift online and authorities to urge mask usage outdoors.
Stubble burning in neighboring states emerged as the dominant culprit, contributing a staggering 22.4% to Delhi’s PM2.5 load—the highest farm-fire impact recorded this winter, per the Decision Support System. Satellite imagery detected 706 crop-residue fires across Punjab (312), Haryana (72), and Uttar Pradesh (322) on Tuesday alone, with smoke plumes drifting unchecked into the capital under calm winds and low mixing heights.
Local factors compounded the crisis, with vehicular emissions, construction dust, and biomass burning adding to the toxic mix, while transport from outside Delhi accounted for 15.5% of the pollution. Tuesday had already logged the season’s first 'severe' day at AQI 428, but stagnant meteorological conditions—low wind speeds and dropping temperatures—prevented any dispersion, trapping pollutants in a dense smog blanket.
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Relief appears distant, with forecasts predicting a slight dip to 'very poor' from Thursday, yet stubble’s share may fall to 10.1% while road traffic emissions rise to 19.3%. The India Meteorological Department expects shallow morning fog, minimum temperature around 11°C, and maximum near 26°C, maintaining inversion layers that lock in the haze.
As temperatures dipped to 10.4°C overnight—3.1 degrees below normal—residents braced for a prolonged smog siege, with GRAP Stage III restrictions likely to tighten. Health experts advise limiting outdoor activity, especially for children and the elderly, as Delhi’s winter air emergency shows no signs of abating.
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