This story is from November 15, 2019

Delhi-NCR pollution: Relief only by Saturday

The smog thickened and air quality plunged deeper into the “severe” zone as ‘airpocalypse’ continued for the third straight day in Delhi-NCR on Thursday, with forecasts promising residents very little relief from the poisonous air on Friday. Delhi’s average air quality index was recorded at 463 on Thursday, a further drop from 456 the previous day.
Delhi-NCR pollution 'severe', relief only by Saturday
Commuters drive along a motorway under heavy smog conditions in New Delhi on November 14, 2019. (AFP)
Key Highlights
  • Delhi’s average air quality index was recorded at 463 on Thursday, a further drop from 456 the previous day
  • It was the third foulest air quality recorded in Delhi this season after November 1 (484) and November 3 (494) as cloudy conditions, calm winds and low temperatures combined to keep toxins trapped close to the ground
NEW DELHI: The smog thickened and air quality plunged deeper into the “severe” zone as ‘airpocalypse’ continued for the third straight day in Delhi-NCR on Thursday, with forecasts promising residents very little relief from the poisonous air on Friday.
Track the pollution level in your city
Delhi’s average air quality index was recorded at 463 on Thursday, a further drop from 456 the previous day.
It was the third foulest air quality recorded in Delhi this season after November 1 (484) and November 3 (494) as cloudy conditions, calm winds and low temperatures combined to keep toxins trapped close to the ground.
Graphic (1)

The smog was spread across Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh with other NCR towns too in the “severe” zone.
Ghaziabad and Noida recorded an average AQI of 486, the worst in the country. Faridabad was at 437, Greater Noida 467 and Gurugram 412. The severe category, the worst in the AQI scale, begins at 401.
image (4)

By late Thursday night, Delhi-NCR’s average PM2.5 had remained above the “emergency” benchmark of 300 micrograms per cubic metre for over 60 hours. The benchmark was set under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for prescribing actions at various pollution levels. The reading at 8pm was 328.7 micrograms per cubic metre. The average PM10 concentration was 493.3 micrograms per cubic metre. The safe standards for PM2.5 and PM10 are 60 and 100 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively.

According to SAFAR, marginal improvement is expected by Friday but the air quality may remain within severe range. A more substantial improvement can be expected by Saturday.
An increase in wind speed is forecasted by Saturday which is likely to increase ventilation and improve the air quality towards “very poor”, a SAFAR report stated, adding that the air may clear further by Sunday.
A met official said the wind speed on Thursday was very low, 5-6km per hour, which was not allowing dispersion of pollutants.
“Partly cloudy sky, too, is adding to the low visibility which was 600-800 metres in the city on Thursday. From Friday evening, however, wind speed is expected to pick up. On November 16-17, 20-25km per hour surface winds are expected and the air quality will improve,” the official told TOI.
According to the SAFAR experts, the effective stubble fire counts estimated as per satellites are only 69 on November 13 under dense cloudy conditions when satellite capability to detect is questionable.
“Considering the PM2.5 deficit, fire emissions appear to be higher and fresh biomass contribution is around 13%. However, due to lack of dispersion and very low mixing height, the sustainable cumulative impact of stubble intrusion on Thursday is estimated to be more than 30%.”
According to met officials, due to an approaching fresh western disturbance and induced cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan, which has started to affect northwest India, scattered rainfall is expected over Punjab.
“This is likely to lead to very low fire count during the next two days. The stubble transport level wind direction is not so favourable for intrusion of the crop burning emission into Delhi. Therefore, stubble contribution is estimated to reduce significantly by tomorrow to around 5%,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the SC-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority wrote to the NCR states, and ordered schools to be shut on Thursday and Friday, and advised people to avoid outdoor exposure and work from home wherever feasible. Nearly all schools were shut on Thursday in the city, barring a couple where children came for Children’s Day celebration but were sent back home.
A partly cloudy sky is expected on Friday, with shallow fog in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperatures were 27 and 15 degree Celsius, respectively.
The maximum and minimum temperatures on Thursday were 26.4, two degree Celsius below normal, and 15.4, two notches above normal.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA