IMD warns of ‘very poor’ air quality in Delhi in next 24 hours

Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai said bursting firecrackers is “not a matter of religion" and urged the opposition parties not to jeopardise the wellbeing of children and the elderly for political ambitions.

A senior scientist of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday warned of ‘very poor’ air quality in Delhi in the next 24 hours.

Centre-run SAFAR showed that the overall Air Quality Index of Delhi reached the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday.  (Representational photo)

The air quality is likely to deteriorate on November 5 and November 6 but remain in the ‘very poor’ category, as per IMD.

RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at IMD Delhi said the weather department would monitor the air quality in the national capital between November 4 and November 5, which coincides with Diwali.

Speaking to news agency ANI earlier in the day, Jenmani said Delhi witnessed smog for the first time on Wednesday. He also made a forecast that the wind speed will pick up on November 6 and 7.

Meanwhile, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) showed that the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi reached the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday.

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 252 in the ‘poor’ and 131 in the ‘very poor’ category, respectively, as reported by ANI.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to post the air quality data for the national capital, which remained in ‘very poor’ category.

Earlier in the day, Delhi's environment minister Gopal Rai said bursting firecrackers is “not a matter of religion" as it affects people's lives and urged the opposition parties not to jeopardise the wellbeing of children and the elderly for political ambitions.

He also appealed to the Centre to issue an advisory to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to mandatorily stop stubble burning during the Diwali period, news agency PTI reported.

The Delhi government on Monday told the high court that it will not allow any firecrackers, including ‘green crackers’, to be sold and used in the Capital in wake of Covid-19 pandemic and the deteriorating air quality.

At a press conference, Rai alleged that some people of opposition parties are trying to sabotage the AAP government's fight against pollution by linking firecracker bursting to religion.

"Bursting of firecrackers is not a matter of religion. It is a matter of people's lives. Some people want to fulfil their political ambitions... I appeal to them with folded hands to not play with the lives of Delhi's children and the elderly.

"There are many other issues for politics. Please let people breathe. Diwali means diyas (lamps) not firecrackers," he said.

Rai said Delhi's air quality a day before Diwali was the best in five years. "Favourable weather conditions and people's support to the government's anti-pollution campaign are reasons for best October air quality in five years," he said.

"I also urge the Centre to issue a mandatory advisory to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to stop burning stubble at least during the Diwali period so that people can breathe easy after the festival," the minister said.

He said more than 13,000 kg of illegal firecrackers have been seized and 33 people arrested under the anti-cracker campaign.

As part of the drive to check dust pollution, a penalty of ₹1.23 lakh has been imposed on 406 construction sites found violating dust control norms.

Rai said Pusa bio-decomposer, a microbial solution that can convert stubble into manure in 15 to 20 days, has been sprayed over 1,700 acres of agricultural land in Delhi.

"The spraying of the bio-decomposer got delayed due to rains in October. The rest of the fields will be covered by November 20," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)