Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' on Saturday
What's the story
Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category on Saturday, with seven out of 59 monitoring stations recording "severe" pollution levels. The city's average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 373 on Friday. PM2.5 was the dominant pollutant across most stations, with only one station falling in the moderate category.
Stubble burning
NASA satellite data shows 4,165 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana
NASA satellite data has detected 4,165 farm fires in Punjab and Haryana between October 1 and November 13. This includes 58 fires detected on Friday alone.
While this number is lower than last year's count of 4,341 during the same period, it's important to note that stubble burning dates have been getting later each year.
Weather update
Moderate fog conditions observed in parts of Delhi
Moderate fog conditions were observed in parts of Delhi on Saturday, with visibility dropping sharply at Safdarjung from 2,000 meters to 350 meters overnight.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classified this as moderate fog.
Despite these conditions, Delhi recorded a relatively warm night with minimum temperatures settling above seasonal normals at various weather stations across the city.
Pollution control measures
Delhi government deploys water sprinklers to combat pollution
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Delhi government has deployed water sprinklers across the city. The move is aimed at curbing dust and particulate matter in the air.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj slammed the BJP-led Delhi government over alleged discrepancies in pollution data displayed on official platforms.
He cited a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) alleging that actual pollution levels were much higher than reported figures.