Stubble burning to be top contributor in Delhi as AQI to slip into 'very poor'

New Delhi: Stubble burning is predicted to emerge as the highest contributor to Delhi's PM2.5 concentration, with air quality likely to deteriorate to the 'very poor' category from Thursday onwards, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System.

People woke up to a hazy morning on Thursday as a thin layer of smog blanketed the city, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) of 278, according to the morning air quality bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The centre has forecast that the air quality is likely to slip into the 'very poor' category between November 6 and 8.

The outlook for the subsequent six days also indicates that the city's air quality will continue to remain in the 'very poor' bracket.

Meanwhile, the daily mean of local and non-local fractional contribution to PM2.5 in Delhi by the DSS predicted that the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's PM2.5 is estimated to be 21.5 per cent on Thursday, rising to 36.9 per cent on Friday, and 32.4 per cent on Saturday, up from just 1.2 per cent on Wednesday.

Satellite data showed that on Wednesday, 94 stubble-burning cases were detected in Punjab, 13 in Haryana, and 74 in Uttar Pradesh.

After stubble burning, transport is expected to be the second-highest contributor, accounting for 16.2 per cent on Thursday, 11.2 per cent on Friday, and 12.3 per cent on Saturday.

On the weather front, wind speed is expected to gradually increase, reaching up to 15 kmph from the northwest direction in the afternoon, before decreasing to below 10 kmph during the evening and Thursday night.

There will be a mainly clear sky with mist or haze.

Delhi has remained in the 'poor' category for the past two days — November 4 and 5 — with AQI below 300. Before that, the city had been in the 'very poor' category, with readings above 300.