Delhi: Get ready for seasonal 'poor' air quality from this weekend as farm fires rise and winds calm down
According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, following the standard protocol of 2021 by the Commission for Air Quality Management, Punjab recorded 656 paddy-residue burning incidents, while Haryana saw 166, and Uttar Pradesh reported 74 cases between September 15 and October 4. At its peak, the daily count of fires in these neighboring states of Delhi surpasses 6,000.
Gufran Beig, the founder project director of the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), stated, «The effect of farm fires on Delhi's air quality is currently negligible.
The significant impact of these fires is expected to be noticeable from the third week of October.»
Beig explained that as the monsoon completely withdraws from the region, winds in the city will calm down, leading to stagnation conditions. During this period, the impact of paddy residue burning events is likely to intensify.
