Smog reduced visibility in the capital on Saturday as experts forecast severe pollution levels for Sunday.
Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 369 on Saturday, placing the city in the 'very poor' category on the eve of Diwali, according to India Today. Smog across the capital reduced visibility throughout the day.
Of the 59 monitoring stations providing data on Saturday, 16 showed 'severe' air quality and 29 showed 'very poor' levels. The highest reading was 452 near IIT Delhi. The average AQI saw a slight improvement from 382 on Friday to 369 on Saturday, though it remained near the 400 'severe' threshold.
Experts expect air quality to reach the 'severe' category on Sunday. This deterioration is attributed to Diwali celebrations, vehicle emissions, the peak stubble-burning season, and unfavourable weather conditions. Low wind speeds of less than 10 kilometres per hour and low ventilation levels are expected to hinder pollutant dispersion.
The transport sector was the largest pollution source on Saturday at 21.4 per cent, while stubble burning contributed 1.7 per cent. Stubble burning is forecast to rise to 5.4 per cent on Sunday. Satellite data from Friday showed 589 crop-residue burning incidents across six states, including 357 in Punjab and 139 in Madhya Pradesh.
The Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) predicts air quality will remain 'severe' on November 8 and 9. For the following six days, levels are expected to move between the 'severe' and 'very poor' categories.
