Delhi's air remained in 'very poor' category on Diwali on Sunday. In the evening itself, people of Delhi and NCR burst a lot of firecrackers and celebrated Diwali. There was a thick layer of fog in the city and visibility was reduced. The average air quality index (AQI) of the day was recorded at 376. This is higher than Saturday's 369 and not far from the 'severe' category limit of 400. The figures may change till late night and it may also fall into the very serious category.
Of the 59 vigilance centers that recorded data on Sunday, the air was in the 'severe' category at 12 and 'very poor' at 22. The worst AQI was 463 recorded in Jahangirpuri. Many centers have already crossed the 400 level. When you go out on the roof at night, you can only see smoke. The coming days may be difficult for Delhi-NCR.
Also read: Before Diwali, Delhi's air is the worst in 10 years, AQI reached 369.
Could the wind worsen further on Monday?
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS), the air may remain in the 'severe' category for a few days from November 9. The air quality is expected to be 'severe' on Monday due to the peak time of Diwali celebrations, vehicular emissions and stubble burning.
Weather and air quality experts have attributed the decline to adverse weather conditions, Diwali-related activities, vehicle smoke and stubble burning in neighboring states.
According to EWS, it is difficult for pollutants to spread if the ventilation index is less than 6,000 square meters per second and the average wind speed is less than 10 kilometers per hour. PM2.5 was the main pollutant in the capital on Sunday.
Also read: Today's weather: Smoke everywhere in Delhi and NCR before Diwali, when is it raining?
Will crackers make breathing difficult?
Smoke from firecrackers also increased the level of particulate pollution. According to Delhi's Decision Support System (DSS), the transport sector is estimated to be the biggest contributor to pollution on Sunday, which is 19 percent. The contribution of stubble burning is estimated to be 3.5 percent. On Monday it may be around 2.99 percent.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), AQI between 0 to 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.