New Delhi: After a brief phase of improvement, Delhi’s air quality worsened once again on Thursday, slipping back into the ‘very poor’ category as farm fires intensified across northern states. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 311, a
sharp rise from Wednesday’s 202, pushing the national capital into the red zone.
According to CPCB figures, Delhi ranked as the fourth most polluted city in the country, while Rohtak topped the list with an AQI of 348. Of the 38 air quality monitoring stations in the Capital, 32 recorded ‘very poor’ levels, with PM2.5 continuing to be the dominant pollutant.
The Decision Support System (DSS) for air quality forecasting indicated that stubble burning had become a major contributor to the spike, accounting for 21.5 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5 levels on Thursday. The share is expected to surge further to 36.9 per cent on Friday and 32.4 per cent on Saturday, marking a sharp rise from just 1.2 per cent on Wednesday.
Satellite imagery also revealed an increase in crop residue burning incidents, 94 in Punjab, 13 in Haryana, and 74 in Uttar Pradesh, over the last 24 hours. Transport emissions were identified as the second-highest contributor, responsible for 16.2 per cent of particulate pollution on Thursday.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi predicted that calm northwesterly winds, with speeds dropping below 10 kmph, could further trap pollutants in the lower atmosphere, preventing their dispersion. The city’s air quality is expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ range between November 6 and 8.
Amid the worsening conditions, the Delhi government has stepped up enforcement and cleaning drives to curb local dust pollution. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the administration had rolled out an intensive citywide cleaning initiative to tackle road dust, deploying 200 maintenance vans for the task. “Separate teams have also been formed to monitor industrial emissions and vehicular pollution, while focused efforts continue to normalise identified hotspots,” the Chief Minister stated.
She added that special vans have been assigned for pruning and trimming trees along PWD roads. “Weekly progress reviews are being conducted by senior officers, and the entire operation is expected to be completed within 45 days,” she said.
Officials have reiterated that with declining wind speeds and an increase in stubble burning, the situation may remain grim over the coming days.