Not stubble burning, local factors to be blamed for Delhi's pollution, shows govt data
India TodayFarm fires or stubble burning is contributing 3-4% to Delhi's pollution, but the situation may take a turn for the worse after Diwali, shows government data. According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, the central government’s environment data monitoring platform, the smoke emanating from farm fires contributed about 3% to Delhi’s PM2.5 level on October 17. The Safar website said, “Fire counts/emissions over northwest region are gradually increasing but its impact on Delhi’s air quality is meagre due to unfavorable transport level wind flow.” “The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution is less, it is only 3-4% right now,” said Vivek Chattopadhyay, senior programme manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. The total radiative power of these fires in Punjab-Haryana-Delhi breached 2,000 watt on October 16,” said a release issued by Centre for Science for Science and Environment on winter pollution and its key findings.