Bhubaneswar: Nightmarish days ahead for the denizens of the national capital Delhi. The AQI Monday at 4 pm remained in the severe plus category. Of the 39 places where the AQI is measured, 36 places have recorded AQI of over 450. The air quality in Ashok Vihar has been very worse as the AQI stands at 500.

What seems nagging for the Delhiites is, the air will not be giving them a breathing space for the next 72 hours. The latest forecast by IMD has no respite for the denizens. Here is NASA's PM2.5 pollution map of India, including Delhi (marked on the map), on Monday.

IMD DELHI POLLUTION FORECAST

The IMD forecast shows smoggy conditions looming large over the national capital for the next 72 hours. As per IMD, in the next 48 hours, the maximum mixing depth will likely to fall to 1400mt indicating worse AQI coming.

• The predominant surface wind will be from northwest directions in Delhi with wind speed remaining at around 6-12 kmph for the next 72 hours.
• Smog/ dense fog will continue in the morning
• Smog/ shallow fog likely in the evening/night.
• Clear sky in night hours likely to fuel the AQI to turn worse.
• The predicted maximum mixing depth will dip 1500 m on Nov 19, 1450 m on Nov 20 and 1400 m Nov 21.
• In tandem with falling mixing depth, the Ventilation index will be dipping to 4500 m2 /s on Nov 20 and 4400 m2 /s on Nov 21.
• The dipping mixing depth and around 10kmph transport wind will be playing havoc in pollutant dispersal. And the ventilation index to turn grim
•  IMD’s outlook for subsequent 6 Days (up to Nov 25) shows the air quality likely to be oscillating from Severe to Very Poor category.

WHY DELHI AIR GOES TOXIC?  

As per the model of IITM, besides the high particulate matter in Delhi air, the models shows particulate matters moving from Pakistan over Punjab to Delhi. With the national capital already saturated with particulate matter pollutants, the rushing of particulate matter (smoke) from stubble burning in Pakistan and Punjab makes the Delhi air highly toxic in winter, when poor mixing depth and slow transport wind didn’t allow pollutant dispersal and the AQI turning severe RED.

WHY DELHI SATURATED WITH PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTANTS? 

It seems the government authorities in Delhi pay little attention to pollution control measures before arrival of winter. Here are the anti-pollution measures if undertaken would not have pushed Delhi to become a toxic gas chamber.

• The Delhi authorities didn’t ensure regular lifting of municipal solid waste, construction and damage waste and hazardous wastes from the dump sites.
• No regular disposal of dust collected in designated sites/landfills.
• Didn’t ensure recycling of demolition waste at the processing site.
• Didn’t made mandatory anti-smoke guns at construction sites.
• Delhi always needs vaccum-based sweeping of roads on daily basis.

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