New Delhi: The contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 levels Tuesday touched 4.1%, the highest this season. It had been negligible so far at less than 1%, but the share of farm fires in the city’s air quality is likely to rise sharply over the next three days.
As a result, harvesting was delayed, with farm fires set to peak later than usual. TOI had reported that this stubble burning season could be complex as the El Niño effect is expected to lead to fewer western disturbances, which bring rain to Delhi, and slower wind speeds, resulting in more smoke from stubble burning blowing into the city.
“The wind direction is likely to change to north-westerly, which may carry smoke to Delhi,” said Gufran Beig, founder of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) and chair professor at National Institute of Advanced Studies. The harvesting pattern is different this time compared to previous years, he said. Besides, as many farmers burn paddy residue after satellite overpass time, the burning pattern will be different,” Beig said.
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“Last year, Punjab and parts of Haryana had floods, but this time, monsoon was weak.