These could be the last few days of Delhi residents breathing clean air, courtesy lockdown and lesser vehicles on roads.
Satellite images from US space agency NASA have shown that farmers have started burning crop residue in parts of Punjab and Haryana, which every year deteriorates air quality in the national capital.
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) today said that though stubble fires have started to appear in Punjab and neighbouring border regions, its impact on Delhi AQI will be minimal for the next three days due to winds.
On September 23, the overall air quality in the national capital improved further to the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 113, according to SAFAR. On September 22, the overall AQI was recorded at 120.
The NASA satellite images showed about seven fresh fires in the farmlands of Punjab between September 13 and 16, hinting at the start of the stubble burning practice by the farmers, according to a report by?India Today.
"Though stubble burning started to appear in Punjab and neighboring border regions, its impact on Delhi AQI will be minimal for the next three days since the predominant winds are not supportive for transport and accumulation. The predominant wind direction at present is north-easterly.?According to a SAFAR estimate based on satellite harmonizing methodology, the fire counts were nil on 15th September, it became 20 on 20th September and goes to around 42 on 21st September 2020. The overall Delhi AQI was in the moderate category on Tuesday. The predominant surface wind direction is north-easterly, AQI is likely to improve marginally and stay in the moderate to the satisfactory category on 23rd September. Satisfactory to the lower end of the moderate category is forecast on 24th September," said SAFAR forecast.?
Stubble fires emit heavy amounts of toxic pollutants like methane, carbon monoxide and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
In 2019, stubble burning contributed to 44 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
After the lockdown was imposed across the country, the Delhi-NCR region witnessed pristine air for the longest time.