New Delhi continues to grapple with severe air pollution as the city's air quality remains stuck in the 'very poor' category, with monitoring agencies predicting no relief for the coming six days. The capital witnessed only marginal improvement from Thursday to Friday, offering little respite to residents breathing the toxic air.
Current Air Quality Status and Trends
The Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded 369 on Friday, showing slight improvement from Thursday's reading of 377. While the numbers indicate a minor positive shift, the air quality remains firmly in the 'very poor' category, posing significant health risks to Delhi's population.
Early morning readings on Friday showed even higher pollution levels, with AQI reaching 384 at 7 am before slightly dropping to 379 by 11 am. The temporary improvement to 327 on Wednesday had prompted authorities to lift GRAP-III measures, but the relief proved short-lived as thick smog soon engulfed the city again.
Key Factors Driving Pollution Levels
Multiple factors are contributing to the persistent poor air quality in the national capital. Local emissions and calm winds combined with cool temperatures have created conditions that restrict proper ventilation of pollutants. The meteorological conditions are preventing the dispersal of harmful particles in the atmosphere.
Contrary to popular perception, stubble burning from neighboring states played a minimal role in the current pollution crisis. According to the central decision support system, smoke from agricultural burning contributed only 0.5% on Thursday and approximately 1.2% on Friday to Delhi's pollution load.
Transportation emerged as the dominant pollution source, alongside emissions from NCR districts including Jhajjar and Sonipat. Vehicle emissions contributed 21% of Delhi's pollution on Thursday and around 18% on Friday, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable transportation solutions.
Weather Conditions and Future Outlook
The India Institute of Tropical Meteorology's air quality early warning system anticipates continued poor ventilation conditions in the coming days. The ventilation index is projected to remain at unfavorable levels: 4,500 m²/s on November 28, 8,500 m²/s on November 29, 6,000 m²/s on November 30, and 4,500 m²/s on December 1.
Experts note that a ventilation index below 6,000 m²/s combined with average wind speeds under 10 km/h creates conditions highly unfavorable for pollutant dispersion. The IITM forecasts that air quality will likely remain in the 'very poor' category from November 28 to December 1, with the following six days showing similarly bleak prospects.
Temperature records from Friday showed a minimum of 8.1 degrees Celsius, marking the second-lowest temperature of the month and falling two degrees below normal. The maximum temperature reached 25.9 degrees Celsius. Saturday's forecast predicts temperatures hovering between 25-27 degrees (maximum) and 10-11 degrees Celsius (minimum).
