Delhi air quality remains very poor as rain may bring relief
The capital recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 367 on Saturday, while Ghaziabad remained one of the most polluted districts in India.
Delhi's air quality stayed in the very poor category on Saturday, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) settling at 367, according to The Hindu. This was a slight improvement from Friday's average of 373, though the index had reached the severe category at 403 on Friday morning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast light rainfall over the plains of Northwest India on November 15 due to a Western Disturbance, which may provide some relief. Of the 59 monitoring stations reporting data on Saturday, 17 recorded severe air quality and 38 reported very poor levels.
Data from the Decision Support System (DSS) showed the transport sector contributed 20.5 per cent to Delhi's pollution, while stubble burning accounted for 13.3 per cent. Satellite data recorded 537 farm-fire incidents across six states on Saturday, including 214 in Punjab and 246 in Madhya Pradesh.
In Gurugram, the administration plans to install 300 Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at petrol pumps starting November 15. District Transport Officer Sanjeev Singla said the cameras will check registration details against online pollution under control (PUC) records to enforce the 'no PUC, no fuel' rule.
Ghaziabad has been ranked among the five most polluted districts in the country for three days in a row. In response to deteriorating air quality, District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar has directed schools to conduct classes for students from nursery to Class 5 in hybrid mode.