Delhi’s air quality remained “very poor” today and emission from firecrackers and calm winds may push it to the “severe” zone, according to government agencies and weather experts.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitor, SAFAR, said the PM2.5 concentration in Delhi on Diwali is likely to be the lowest in the last four years if no firecrackers are burnt.

Pollution levels in Delhi during the Diwali period are likely to remain in the higher end of the very poor category in the absence of emissions due to fireworks, it said.

But two factors smoke from farm fires and stagnant surface winds will keep the air quality in the higher end of the ‘very poor’ category to the lower end of the ‘severe’ on Diwali night, it said.

Transport-level winds have become northwesterly and the stubble burning-induced impact on air quality index (AQI) is expected to increase, the central government agency said.

A spike in PM2.5 levels in the early hours Sunday is likely if fire crackers are burnt, it said.

Delhi recorded an AQI of 369 at 9 am on Saturday. The 24-hour average AQI was 339 on Friday and 314 on Thursday.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (323), Ghaziabad (412), Noida (362), Greater Noida (350), and Gurgaon (338), which fall in the National Capital Region (NCR), also recorded their AQI is the “very poor” and severe categories.

Delhi recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 337 on Diwali last year (October 27), and 368 and 400 the next day. Thereafter, pollution levels remained in the severe category for three days on the trot.

In 2018, the 24-hour average AQI (281) on Diwali was recorded in the poor category. It deteriorated to 390 the next day and remained in the severe category on three consecutive days thereafter.

In 2017, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI on Diwali (October 19) stood at 319. It, however, slipped into the severe zone the next day.

This time, the India Meteorological Department has said that a fresh western disturbance is likely to increase the wind speed and improve the air quality in Delhi-NCR post Diwali.

Light rain is likely on Sunday under the influence of a western disturbance. It is still to be seen if it is enough to wash away pollutants, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD’s regional forecasting centre, said.

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