Delhi's air quality deteriorates further, AQI crosses 300 mark

The air quality in Delhi and the surrounding areas continued to be hazardous, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 309 on October 29 morning, further dropping to "very poor,” according to data from SAFAR.

The AQI recorded at the Delhi airport (T3) stands at 232, 341 at Delhi University, and 362 at Dhirpur. With an AQI of 372, neighbouring Noida was even worse than Delhi. Meanwhile, Gurugram AQI stands at 221.

Previously on Saturday, the national capital’s air quality deteriorated and stood at 304, worsening from 261 (poor category) on Friday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. It was 256 on Thursday, 243 on Wednesday and 220 on Tuesday.

The AQI is likely to worsen further due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, according to weather monitoring agencies.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said that the number of stubble-burning incidents that had been contributing to Delhi pollution is expected to fall. However, air pollution may increase in the coming days due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, he added.

Only around 2,500 stubble-burning incidents had been recorded so far, compared to 5,000 such cases during the same period last year, Rai told media.

The ruling Aam Adami Party previously claimed that Delhi's poisonous air was caused by the burning of rice stubble in Punjab and other neighbouring states. However, the party has faced criticism for its dismissal of the issue after the Aam Adami Party came to power in Punjab in 2022.

As per the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Punjab accounts for the maximum number of cases of stubble burning and reported 49,922 farm fires in 2022, compared to 71,304 the previous year and 83,002 in 2020.

50,738 incidents of stubble burning were logged in 2019, 59,684 in 2018, 67,079 in 2017, and 1,02,379 in 2016 in the state.

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