The data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed a 24 hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi to be 400, which deteriorated and reached the brink of ‘severe’ air quality. 

The layer of thickened smog resulted in poor visibility during the morning hours at both Safdarjung and Palam. The senior scientists RK Jenamani at IMD said that the absence of the winds caused shallow to moderate fog/smog with visibility at 400-1000m range from early morning till 10 am at Safdarjung, while Palam reported relatively higher visibility in the range of 1,000-1,200m till 10.30am

Experts from the System of Air Quality, and Weather Forecasting and Research said that stubble burning to Delhi’s PM 2.5 was only 6%. Delhi’s transport added to 15% to the city’s PM 2.5 on Friday, Delhi & peripheral industries added 7% and while 9% was due to emissions from Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. The executive director of research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, Anumita Roychowdhury said that stubble burning was currently negligible but the local sources were causing more pollution in Delhi and NCR. To control the situation, action against the industries using non-cleaner fuels and polluting vehicles should be taken.

Source: ET Healthworld