Delhi Braces for 'Severe' Air Quality and Dense Fog Over the Weekend
Image Source: Internet
Delhi residents are in for a challenging weekend as the city is expected to experience dense fog and severe air quality. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an orange alert for fog has been issued for Saturday, with visibility expected to drop to zero at several places. The city's air quality index (AQI) has been fluctuating, but the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) predicts it to climb into the 400+ 'severe' category over the weekend. On Friday, the AQI stood at 374, with 11 out of 40 monitoring stations recording severe air quality. The disruption caused by the dense fog has already resulted in over 700 flights being disrupted, with 177 flights cancelled. The city's 24-hour average air quality index has been in the 'very poor' category for nine consecutive days, despite an aggressive vehicular enforcement drive launched on Thursday. Experts warn that the temperature decline over the weekend could intensify the inversion effect, trapping pollutants in lower layers of the atmosphere and leading to a spike in pollution levels. The Centre for Science and Environment's Anumita Roychowdhury states that a fall in temperature can lead to a spike in pollution levels, but the intensity of the spike depends on various meteorological conditions. Data from the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management shows that vehicular pollution contributed 15.72% to Friday's pollution, and forecasts indicate this contribution will rise to 18.41% on Sunday. The Supreme Court has directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to abandon short-term responses in favour of comprehensive structural reforms addressing urban mobility, industrial emissions, and agricultural burning. The persistent fog also highlights the absence of rainfall this December, with the Safdarjung weather station recording no precipitation. The lack of rain prevents pollutants from being washed out of the atmosphere, compounding the air quality crisis. The Supreme Court has scheduled its next hearing for January 6 to address the air quality crisis.
