Farm fires' share rises to 20%, air 'poor' as temp dips further

New Delhi: Delhi's air quality dipped further to the upper level of the "poor" category on Friday as the share of stubble burning in the capital's PM2.5 pollution rose to 20 per cent, the highest so far this season.

According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality forecasting agency SAFAR, 1,112 farm fires were observed in the northwest region of Delhi on Thursday. The Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data showed the national capital recorded a 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 283, Faridabad 289, Ghaziabad 321, Greater Noida 284, Gurugram 262 and Noida 282.

The Sub-Committee on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) directed authorities in Delhi and the NCR states on Thursday to stop using diesel generator sets and increase the frequency of bus and metro services.

Meanwhile, the Capital got colder on Friday morning with the IMD recording a minimum temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. The weather office has predicted colder days and nights from this week onwards.

The maximum temperature at 30.4 degrees Celsius too was one notch below the average for this time of the year, they said.

Relative humidity was recorded at 94 per cent at 8.30 am. The minimum relative humidity was 58 per cent at 5.30 pm. The Meteorological Department has forecast mainly clear skies on Saturday with a minimum temperature of 14 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius.

And with the air worsening by the day with stubble burning's share here only increasing, CM Arvind Kejriwal again on Friday tweeted AQI readings, in his attempt to remind neighbouring states to control farm fires on their end.