Delhi AQI spikes sharply to 700+; dust and toxic smog envelop capital

DElhi’s beam character plunged to “ wild” levels on fri morn, with the city recording an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 727, according to data from Swiss monitor IQ Air. The national capital has been struggling with worsening air conditions since Diwali, as a combination of post-festival pollution, farm fires in neighbouring states, and low wind activity continues to trap pollutants over the city.Also read: Hormone health expert shares ways to biohack your body to build resilience against Delhi's polluted airOfficials, however, have said that a marginal improvement is expected later in the day as wind speeds pick up.On Thursday, Delhi's air quality plunged into the 'very poor' category with an overall AQI recorded at 4pm as 311, placing Delhi in the 'red zone', according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).Delhi 4th among most-polluted Indian citiesDelhi ranked fourth among the most polluted cities, while Rohtak topped the list in the ‘very poor’ category with an AQI of 348 out of 254 cities, according to the CPCB. PM 2.5 remained the key pollutant on Thursday. While 32 out of 38 monitoring stations reported air quality in the ‘very poor’ category, with readings above 300, according to the CPCB’s Sameer App.Stubble burning major contributorStubble burning is predicted to be the highest contributor to Delhi's PM2.5 concentration as the air quality is expected to deteriorate to the 'very poor' category from Thursday onwards, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System. The daily mean of local and non-local fractional contribution to PM2.5 in Delhi by the DSS predicted that the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi's PM2.5 is estimated to be 21.5 per cent on Thursday, rising to 36.9 per cent on Friday, and 32.4 per cent on Saturday, up from just 1.2 per cent on Wednesday.Also read: As Delhi breathes ‘poor’ air, China offers help to tackle pollution crisisSatellite data showed that on Wednesday, 94 stubble-burning cases were detected in Punjab, 13 in Haryana, and 74 in Uttar Pradesh, PTI reported.Transport is expected to be the second-highest contributor, accounting for 16.2 per cent on Thursday, 11.2 per cent on Friday, and 12.3 per cent on Saturday.Also read: Over half of Delhi’s pollution complaints gather dustProtests against poor air quality in DelhiMeanwhile, student and activist groups on Thursday staged a protest at the Jantar Mantar here against what they called the central and Delhi governments' failure to address the worsening climate crisis and choking air pollution in the national capital, PTI reported.Also read: Foreigner’s grim take on Delhi air pollution as thick smog chokes city: ‘Could barely see the sun’Over 80 protesters holding posters and banners participated in the demonstration organised by Scientists for Society and the Campaign for Right to Public Health.The protest also saw participation from students, activists, journalists, artists and representatives of organisations such as Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Disha Students’ Organisation and others.(With inputs from PTI)