Stubble burning further deteriorates Delhi’s AQI

NEW DELHI: The Air Quality Index (AQI) in National Capital continues to be in severely poor category for four days in a row. With no intermission in sight from farm fires in neighbouring states, and wind further transporting the resultant smoke and other pollutants to Delhi, the AQI is predicted to worsen further this week. The AQI was recorded at 426 on Monday, November 09, a point higher than it was on Saturday, November 07.

Hiren Jethwa, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientist, has been studying farm fires and air pollution in the area for past many years using software called Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS). According to Jethwa, the fire count in the region has already touched the same level as those in 2016, as per the Moderate Resolution imagining Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. He also added that the total fire reports were 32 per cent higher than those in 2018-19. Most of the fires were reported in Punjab region.

According to the air quality monitor system of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Weather Forecasting and research (SAFAR), the situation of poor air quality is unlikely to improve until a drastic drop takes place in stubble burning count.