Pollution levels in the national capital worsened on Wednesday as the 24-hour average Air Quality Index reached 313.
The air quality in Delhi deteriorated to the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, according to The New Indian Express. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 313, a decline from the 299 recorded on Tuesday.
Of the 58 monitoring stations providing data on Wednesday, 34 recorded 'very poor' air quality, 22 were in the 'poor' category, and one was in the 'moderate' category. Only one station reported 'severe' air quality, while the Delhi Cantonment area recorded a 'moderate' AQI of 117.
The transport sector is expected to be the primary contributor to pollution on Wednesday. However, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) models suggest the impact of stubble burning could increase on Thursday, potentially worsening conditions over the coming days.
Projections from the Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) indicate that PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are set to rise for the next two days. While stubble burning was expected to contribute 7 per cent to pollution on Wednesday, its contribution is projected to reach 20 per cent by Thursday.
Satellite data from the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling (CREAMS) Laboratory showed 927 residue burning incidents across six states on Tuesday. These incidents included 345 in Punjab, 119 in Uttar Pradesh, 64 in Rajasthan, 376 in Madhya Pradesh, 14 in Haryana, and nine in Uttarakhand.
