Current Air Pollution Situation in NCR
Air pollution in NCR has surged, with levels peaking at two to three times above permissible limits.
On October 22, Anand Vihar recorded a PM2.5 level of 208 µg/m³, significantly above the satisfactory limit of 60 µg/m³.
Noida and Gurugram have also experienced high pollution levels throughout October.
Delhi's Chief Minister Atishi blamed farm fires in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for pollution
While the BJP dismissed these claims, suggesting the AAP government is not addressing pollution effectively.
Role of Farm Fires
Incidents of stubble burning have drastically decreased in Punjab, and there are fewer burning events in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as well.
In 2024, Punjab recorded 1,581 farm fires, still the highest among the three states, but down from previous years due to measures like fines and better farming practices.
A dashboard from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology shows that stubble burning contributed less than 1% to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution levels on most days in October, peaking at only 8% on October 22.
With winter approaching, the focus should shift to other causes of air pollution beyond stubble burning.
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