New Delhi: Delhi witnessed a return of smog on Wednesday as air quality deteriorated amid falling temperatures, changing wind conditions, Dussehra celebrations and concerns over stubble burning in neighbouring states.
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS), the capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was expected to enter the ‘poor’ category from Wednesday and remain there until Friday, October 23.
The outlook also indicated the possibility of poor air quality over the following six days.
Delhi’s AQI rose to 179 on Tuesday, up from 139 on Monday, remaining in the ‘moderate’ category.
However, several monitoring stations recorded poor air quality early Wednesday.
Bawana registered an AQI of 273, Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 262, Delhi Technological University stood at 248, and the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range recorded 230.
The ‘poor’ category covers readings between 201 and 300. Noida and Gurugram recorded AQIs of 161 and 184, respectively, on Tuesday.
Transport emissions remained the largest tracked pollution source, contributing 23.02% as of October 19, followed by residential sources at around 6%. Industries, construction, road dust, waste burning and energy together contributed around 15%.
Dussehra fireworks may have added pollutants, though their contribution to Wednesday’s smog remains unconfirmed. Stubble burning is another concern, with 19 farm-fire incidents detected across six states earlier this month.
Falling temperatures and unfavourable atmospheric conditions can trap pollutants near the ground. Safdarjung recorded a maximum of 31.8°C and a minimum of 17.7°C on Tuesday.
