CM Arvind Kejriwal keeps note of daily AQI, pins blame on 'stubble burning'

Days after Diwali smog continues to cover the Delhi skies, people are forced to breathe the ‘severely polluted’ air in the national capital. While keeping a note of the daily Air Quality of the NCT, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Nov 9 again tweeted the condition of the air quality, along with estimated particulate matter 10 and 2.5 projections. 

The AQI projections on November 9 displayed that the Air Quality Index in Delhi is ‘severely polluted’ with AQI at 404, with PM 10 recorded at 414 and PM 2.5 at 265. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), winds coming from the northwest at 925 millibars (MB) are favourable for the transport of stubble related pollutants to Delhi.

CM Arvind Kejriwal keeps note of Daily AQI, pins blame on 'stubble burning'

CM Kejriwal had been tweeting Delhi’s AQI for the past one and half months to support his claim that Delhi witnesses excessive pollution because of stubble burning in the other states.
 

CM Arvind Kejriwal has been tweeting AQI daily since mid-September. On September 18, In a tweet, AAP national convenor said, that Delhi's air quality will deteriorate from mid-October due to stubble burning and the governments of the neighbouring states have not taken action to prevent stubble burning. On its own, Delhi’s air is clean. He further added, Sep 18’s AQI and shared projections that states Delhi’s AQI along with PM 10 & 2.5 matter remained satisfactory.
 

On September 22, in another tweet, he wrote, 'I post this data daily to show that Delhi’s air is reasonably clean of its own. Pollution in Oct-Nov is due to parali.'
 

Besides, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) proposed measures to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR on Monday, including the introduction of a city-wide Graded Response Action Plan. According to the pollution control board's official statement, a Sub-committee met on Monday to assess the current state of air quality as well as meteorological and air pollution projections for Delhi-NCR.

The notice read, "As per IMD's forecast, winds are expected to be northwesterly for the next five days which may possibly lead to a high contribution of stubble burning. In addition, unfavourable meteorology may cause air quality to fluctuate between 'severe and higher end of the very poor category' in the coming days."

 

Image: ANI/ PTI