Delhi air quality stays very poor ahead of Diwali
The city's 24-hour average AQI reached 369 on Thursday, with forecasts suggesting pollution may enter the severe category by the weekend.
Delhi's air quality remained in the very poor category for the fourth straight day on Thursday, according to Urban Acres. The city recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 369, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The CPCB classifies AQI levels between 301 and 400 as very poor, while the 401 to 500 range is considered severe. On Thursday, 18 monitoring stations across the capital reported severe-category readings, with Jahangirpuri recording the highest AQI of 454 at 4 pm.
The Air Quality Early Warning System has issued a forecast stating that pollution levels could worsen into the severe category between Friday and Sunday. This period precedes Diwali, when weather changes and fireworks can impact air quality.
The Decision Support System, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, estimated that crop-residue burning contributed 15.601 per cent to Delhi's pollution on Thursday. This figure is projected to rise to 19.201 per cent on Friday before dropping to 1.575 per cent on Saturday.
The assessment also noted that transport emissions played a role in the city's pollution profile. On Wednesday, vehicle emissions accounted for 15.5 per cent of the pollution, while crop-residue burning was estimated at 20.2 per cent.
