NEW DELHI: Smog intensified in the city as wind speeds reduced on Friday, leading to an accumulation of pollutants and aerosols. A Nasa satellite image showed agricultural fires in Punjab and Haryana were contributing to pollution in the region in a big way.
According to IGI's Met office, a 20-25kmph wind on Thursday had helped clear the pollution over the city, leading to a good visibility of 4,000 metres. The wind calmed on Friday morning and visibility dropped to about 1100 metres in most parts of the city.
According to R K Jenamani, director of IGI Met, smog may intensify further in the next 48 hours as weather models forecast calm winds in the coming days. A western disturbance (WD), currently moving across Jammu & Kashmir, may bring fresh moisture and help in intensifying the smog.
Images released by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) from its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)'s aqua satellite also shows low visibility and smog forming a channel from north-northwest region, fed by smoke coming from Punjab and Haryana where farmers are currently burning leftover stubbles from the paddy crop.
Expectedly, air pollution levels are also up. PM 2.5 (fine, respirable particles) was 189 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday, three times more than the safe level of 60. PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) was about 320 microgram per cubic metre as against a safe level of 100 microgram per cubic metre. According to Gufran Beig, chief project scientist, "pollution levels may move to very poor category on Saturday from the poor category now as per the air quality index (AQI). PM 2.5 levels may go up to 210 micrograms per cubic metre on Saturday," he said.
