Delhi recorded its most polluted Diwali eve in a decade with an AQI of 369 on Saturday. Farm fires in Punjab and Haryana rose sharply, worsening the air. Sunil Dahiya said, "The next 48 hours look worse," as experts warned that light winds might not clear the thick, trapped pollutants.
Delhi has recorded its most polluted Diwali eve in a decade, with the air quality worsening significantly. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 369 on Saturday, the highest for a day before Diwali since 2016. This is a steep rise from November 1's AQI of 261 and a sharp increase from Saturday evening's PM2.5 levels, which jumped from 177 to 289 micrograms per cubic meter between 7:45pm and 10:00pm.
The PM2.5 levels spiked sharply in residential areas such as Punjabi Bagh and RK Puram, with readings reaching 593 and 621 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively.
The Supreme Court has allowed the use of certified green crackers for limited hours on Saturday and Sunday, but enforcement remains a challenge due to the difficulty in distinguishing between green and conventional crackers.
Satellite data from ISRO's INSAT-3DS satellite showed a sharp rise in farm fires in Punjab and Haryana, with 415 fire pixels detected on Saturday. This is a huge jump from the count on November 1.
Weather forecasts predict light winds for Sunday afternoon, which may not be enough to disperse the trapped pollutants under a layer of warmer air.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) predicts that the AQI could worsen to 406 by Monday morning.
Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at think tank Envirocatalysts, said, The next 48 hours look worse... cutting firecrackers, sending fewer trucks into the city and stopping waste burning over the next two days are the measures most likely to make a difference.
Despite efforts, full compliance with pollution control measures remains elusive as conventional crackers continue to be sold illegally.