Air quality remains ‘poor’ in Delhi, will coming days be better or worse?

Residents of Delhi are preparing for worsening air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) currently in the ‘Poor’ category. The situation will remain the same on Saturday, and is expected to deteriorate further, with air quality anticipated to drop into the ‘Very Poor’ category on October 20, continuing through October 21.
The situation is expected to remain precarious over the next six days after October 21.
Factors that contribute to worsening air quality include emissions from sources such as stubble and waste burning. Unfavourable weather conditions also prevent the effective dispersion of pollutants, leading to significant health concerns.
Despite mainly clear skies during this period, the wind conditions are insufficient to disperse pollutants effectively. Predominant surface winds from the southeast or east are expected to range between 8-16 kmph.
A maximum mixing depth spanning from 1300m to 1500m suggests limited vertical movement of air, posing constraints on pollutant dispersion. A lower mixing depth means less vertical movement of air, which can trap pollutants close to the ground.
Meanwhile, the ventilation index figures, which remain below the favourable threshold of 6000 m²/s, highlight the inadequate lateral movement essential for diluting the pollutants. Ventilation index is a measure that indicates how well air can move and disperse pollutants in the atmosphere. A higher value generally means better air quality.
Delhi’s air quality worsened on Friday with the AQI dropping to 293.
With the winter approaching, the Delhi government has launched efforts to curb air pollution by banning firecrackers, and waste burning, and has issued certain guidelines for construction work across the city.
On Thursday, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) identified and penalised several government-related construction projects for failing to comply with dust control measures.
The civic agency identified 30 violators, imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 per infraction.