New Delhi, October 18 The National Capital’s air quality slipped into the “very poor” category on Friday morning, and was expected to decline sharply over the weekend owing to changing weather and “significant” stubble-burning. The city’s overall air quality index (AQI) stood at 306 on Friday. It was 276 on Thursday. The overall AQI at DTU, Dwarka Sector 8, Narela, Wazirpur and Bawana was 312, 316, 310, 312, and 341 respectively, which falls in the “very poor” category. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe. The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality research and forecast service, SAFAR, said the reason for deterioration of air quality at present is the “gradual change in weather conditions - slow surface winds and cooling - towards unfavourable side”. The share of stubble-burning to Delhi’s PM 2.5 concentration would be 10 per cent on Friday. It is predicted to increase to 18 per cent on Saturday, according to SAFAR data. “Stubble-burning incidents in Haryana, Punjab, and nearby border regions have shown an increasing trend over the last three days. Additionally, a few new fires have been observed over western Uttar Pradesh,” it said in a report. The period between October 15 and November 15 is considered critical as maximum numbers of stubble-burning incidents take place in this span in Punjab and adjoining states and is one of the main reasons for alarming spike in pollution in Delhi-NCR. Despite a ban on stubble-burning in Punjab and Haryana, farmers continue to defy it amid lack of financial incentives. State governments are providing 50 to 80 per cent subsidy to farmers and cooperative societies to buy modern farm equipment for in-situ management of paddy straw and running a massive awareness campaign against stubble-burning. — PTI CITIZENS ENTITLED TO BREATHE FRESH AIR: NGT Citizens are entitled to breathe fresh air, the National Green Tribunal has said while dismissing a plea filed by a public sector distribution company seeking permission to use diesel generators. A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel junked a plea on Thursday filed by Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam seeking breather from the EPCA order on banning use of diesel generators.

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