Delhi air quality hits 377 as severe pollution warning looms
Authorities warn the capital could enter the severe category by Friday as stubble burning and stagnant weather worsen conditions.
Delhi's air quality reached an average AQI of 377 on Wednesday, according to reports from Urban Acres and The New Indian Express. The reading marks the city's worst air quality in 288 days, with several monitoring stations recording levels above 400.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued show-cause notices to deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police in five Punjab districts: Barnala, Bathinda, Fazilka, Jalandhar, and Faridkot. The CAQM previously issued notices to officials in Gurdaspur and Kapurthala regarding crop-residue burning.
Local sources accounted for 31 per cent of the pollution on Wednesday, while sources outside the capital contributed 69 per cent. The estimated contribution from stubble burning rose to 16.2 per cent on Wednesday from 8.2 per cent on Tuesday, with projections suggesting it could reach 20 per cent by Friday.
Environmental expert Anumita Roychowdhury stated that while vehicles are the primary local source of pollution, smoke from stubble burning has worsened the situation. She noted that high moisture and low wind speeds have caused pollutants to accumulate near the ground.
Specific monitoring stations recorded high levels, including IIT Delhi at 455 and Jahangirpuri at 449. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an AQI of 399 near India Gate at 6:40 am. Agencies expect these severe conditions to persist for approximately six days.