Massive crop burning near NCR, air to be ‘severe’ again
Stubble burning in neigbouring states ‘largest-ever recorded’ this year.
New Delhi: Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category on Friday despite a slow but “significant” improvement in pollution levels with the AAP government restricting the entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into the national capital as an emergency measure.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) said stubble burning in neighbouring states on Thursday was the “largest-ever recorded” for this year with 2,,100 fire counts, which might lead to a further deterioration of the already “severe” air quality of the national capital.
Over 400 heavy and medium goods vehicles were returned from Delhi’s borders after the city government’s transport department banned their entry from 11 pm on Thursday night to 11 pm on November 11 in the wake of the worsening air quality.
Government-run agency Safar said that the city’s air quality would remain in the severe category till Saturday, as the already toxic situation caused by smoke from fireworks is likely to aggravate further due to intensified stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Despite severe pollution, stray incidents of firecracker burning were reported from several areas, including ITO, Mayur Vihar, Dilshad Garden, Shalimar Bagh and Taimur Nagar, in the national capital on Thursday night. The police said it can only take legal action against the violators of the Supreme Court order “but at the end of the day, it is also the responsibility of the public to follow the order”.
Meanwhile, Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain met with ministry officials on Friday and held discussions on the deteriorating air quality in the national capital which slipped to the “severe plus emergency” category after Diwali.
Delhi’s air quality on Thursday went off the charts to the “severe plus emergency” category. The city recorded the overall air quality index (AQI) of 642, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar).
It said the city’s air quality has “improved significantly” since Thursday, but the recovery was slow due to low surface wind speed. The AQI was recorded in the severe category at 453 on Friday.