NEW DELHI: The air quality in the city has deteriorated owing to haze in the morning due to high humidity and low wind speed, which may continue for the next few days. According to IITM’s early warning system, air quality will deteriorate to poor within the next two days. Track the pollution level in your city“The overall air quality is likely to remain in the moderate category on October 13. It is likely to deteriorate but remain in the moderate to poor category on October 14 and poor category on October 15,” IITM’s decision support system bulletin stated. Its forecast for the next six days says air quality is likely to remain largely in the poor to moderate category. On Wednesday, the air quality index (AQI) was 143 in the “moderate” category against 66 in the “satisfactory” level a day earlier. According to weather analysts, hazy mornings over the next few days would lead to accumulation of pollution. While haziness would reduce with loss of moisture over the next 3-4 days, northwesterly winds carrying stubble smoke from Punjab may jeopardise the city’s air. “Excessive rain, high humidity and low wind speed will lead to haziness or mist for the next 2-3 days after which the daytime temperature will rise and humidity will reduce due to the westerly winds. But pollution may rise due to stubble burning, so there is a possibility of high pollution around Diwali,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-chairman, climate change and meteorology, Skymet. Meanwhile, farm fires in Punjab, which were stalled due to incessant rains in the region, have begun to rise. Data from Indian Agriculture Research Institute showed that stubble burning incidents in Punjab went up from 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, to 45 on Wednesday. Experts in Punjab said farmers were waiting for their crops to dry off, which may take less than a week. There was a possibility of a large number of farm fires in Punjab and Haryana soon, which would pollute Delhi as it lies in the downwind direction. “Harvesting has already been delayed by a week and farmers are not preferring the Pusa bio-decomposer. There are chances that crop residue machines, like happy or super seeders, will be used or stubble will be burnt. Wheat sowing will start from October-end to November first week, so there’s still some time. But due to rain, it will take 3-7 days for the crop to dry for harvesting. As the window will get shorter, a limited number of machines will not be able to manage all the stubble,” said an IARI official. Currently, the early paddy variety, PR126, is being harvested. But harvesting was stopped due to rain. Sowing of wheat for farmers harvesting PR126 begins at October-end. In the case of long-duration paddy varieties, like Pusa 44, sowing will occur in early November.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/-high-humidity-low-wind-speed-combine-to-worsen-air-quality-relief-unlikely-for-a-few-days/articleshow/94820518.cms