Array
The share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution jumped to 38 per cent on Thursday, which, experts said was the reason behind the thick layer of pungent smog over the national capital.
The increase in stubble burning has kicked off a political slugfest, with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday saying that there had been a 19 per cent rise in farm fires over 2021 in Punjab and that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had turned the national capital into a gas chamber.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in turn, blamed the central government for rising incidents of stubble burning in Punjab and said it should „resign“ if it cannot control air pollution.
Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, „The share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution has increased to around 38 per cent which is quite significant.“
The air pollution situation is the worst in Noida which falls into the path of emissions being transported from stubble burning, he said.
„Gurugram and Lodhi Road areas which do not fall into this path are the least affected,“ Beig said.
Delhi’s air quality slipped back into the „severe“ zone Thursday morning amid raging farm fires and stagnant conditions at night. The overall air quality index stood at 419 at 9 am.
„The overall air quality in Delhi will continue to remain in the severe category till Friday morning.
